What is the length of the large intestine?

• A. 0.5 meters long.
• B. 1.5 meters long.
• C. 2.0 meters long.
• D. 1.0 meters long.

Answer: (B)

The large intestine in an average adult is about 1.5 meters long. It runs from the ileocecal valve to the anus and includes the cecum, the colon (ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid), and the rectum. This length supports its primary tasks of absorbing water and electrolytes and forming solid waste as material moves more slowly through the colon. Individual variation exists, but 1.5 meters is the standard figure used in anatomy references. Shorter measures like half a meter or a meter are not typical for the whole large intestine, while about 2 meters would be longer than usual for an average adult.