To determine how many students have handprint lengths in the range of 12 cm to 13.9 cm, we need to examine each value in the list of recorded lengths and count those that fall within this specified range.
Here are the handprint lengths provided:
- 14.0 cm
- 11.5 cm
- 12.1 cm
- 16.2 cm
- 13.5 cm
- 14.3 cm
- 16.8 cm
- 12.4 cm
- 13.7 cm
- 12.0 cm
- 14.7 cm
- 15.2 cm
- 11.9 cm
- 15.6 cm
- 13.8 cm
- 14.2 cm
- 12.5 cm
- 15.0 cm
- 16.0 cm
- 13.1 cm
- 11.7 cm
Now, let's count how many of these lengths fall within the range of 12 cm to 13.9 cm (inclusive):
- 12.1 cm (in range)
- 13.5 cm (in range)
- 12.4 cm (in range)
- 13.7 cm (in range)
- 12.0 cm (in range)
- 13.8 cm (in range)
- 12.5 cm (in range)
- 13.1 cm (in range)
There are 8 handprint lengths within the range of 12 cm to 13.9 cm.
Thus, the number of students in the range 12 cm to 13.9 cm is:
[tex]\[ \boxed{8} \][/tex]