Explanation:

- A cube has to be cut into 64 identical smaller cubes.

- Every cut can be thought of as dividing a larger piece into smaller segments.

- Option: 1, 8 cuts - Unlikely, as dividing by half in each direction requires multiple cuts.

- Option: 2, 9 cuts - Likely correct! Cutting once in each axis (x, y, z) is three cuts for each layer: $$3 (cuts per dimension) \times 3 (layers possible)\).

- Option: 3, 12 cuts - More than needed to achieve 64 pieces, suggesting extra and unnecessary cuts.

- Option: 4, 16 cuts - Excessive for the goal, indicating multiple unnecessary cuts.

Answer: ? Option: 2, 9 required cuts is correct. ""