What is the product when you multiply 12 by 4?

To find the product of 12 and 4, you perform multiplication. Multiplying these two numbers involves adding 12 to itself four times:

12 + 12 + 12 + 12.

When you calculate this step by step:

1. First, add the first two 12s:

12 + 12 = 24.

2. Next, add another 12:

24 + 12 = 36.

3. Finally, add the last 12:

36 + 12 = 48.

Therefore, the product of 12 and 4 is 48. This confirms that the correct answer is indeed 48, which can also be verified by the straightforward multiplication of 12 times 4, resulting in 48. When using multiplication directly, you can think of it as "how many 12s are in 4 groups," leading again to the same answer. This use of multiplication is a foundational concept in arithmetic.