If a box holds 4 pens, 3 boxes hold:

**The reasoning** This is a simple **multiplication problem** about equal groups. If 1 box holds 4 pens, then 3 boxes hold: 3 boxes × 4 pens per box = **12 pens** Think of it this way: You're just adding the same amount three times: - Box 1: 4 pens - Box 2: 4 pens - Box 3: 4 pens - Total: 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 pens Or use multiplication (which is faster): 3 × 4 = 12 **Why the wrong options tempt you** **A) 7** — You added 4 + 3 instead of multiplying. That's mixing the number of boxes with the number of pens! **B) 10** — Maybe you added wrong or got confused with a different calculation. **D) 16** — You multiplied 4 × 4 instead of 3 × 4. You used the wrong number! **Quick takeaway** When dealing with equal groups, **multiply** the number of groups by what each group contains—don't just add the two numbers together!