A program uses the number of seconds in a minute in various calculations. How should the item that holds the number of seconds in a minute be declared?

Declaring the item that holds the number of seconds in a minute as a constant integer is the most appropriate choice because it represents a fixed quantity that will not change throughout the execution of the program. Since the value of seconds in a minute is always 60, defining it as a constant ensures that this value remains consistent and avoids accidental modifications during runtime.

Using an integer type is also suitable here because the number of seconds is a whole number, which makes an integer data type the best fit. This choice also typically consumes less memory compared to float types, which are designed for decimal numbers. Hence, declaring it as a constant integer named secondsPerMinute makes the code clearer and more efficient, as it indicates to other developers that this value is intended to remain unchanged. This reinforces good programming practices regarding the definition and use of fixed values in a program.