Explanation:

- To find the area of a rectangle, multiply its length by its breadth.

- Here, the length is 12 cm and the breadth is 6 cm.

- So, Area = 12 cm × 6 cm = 72 cm².

Option 1: 144 cm² - This is incorrect as 12 multiplied by 6 does not equal 144.

Option 2: 72 cm² - This is correct as 12 multiplied by 6 equals 72.

Option 3: 56 cm² - This is incorrect since 56 is not the result of 12 multiplied by 6.

Option 4: 96 cm² - This is incorrect as 12 times 8 would be 96, not 12 times 6.

Answer: Option 2: 72 cm²