2 × 6.

**The reasoning** Multiplication means adding a number to itself repeatedly. So 2 × 6 means "add 2 to itself 6 times" or "add 6 to itself 2 times." Let's count it out: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 12 Or think of it as: 6 + 6 = 12 The multiplication sign (×) is asking "what's the total when you combine these groups?" Two groups of 6 gives you **12**. **Why the wrong options tempt you** - **8** catches you if you mistakenly added instead of multiplying (2 + 6 = 8). Adding and multiplying are different operations! - **10** might come from a careless skip-count error (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 — stopping too early). - **14** could happen if you added after multiplying (2 × 6 = 12, then accidentally +2 = 14). **Quick takeaway** Multiplication builds groups; addition just combines two numbers — so 2 × 6 means "six twos" or "two sixes," which always equals 12, not 2 + 6.