3×4

3×4 denotes the product of 3 and 4 in arithmetic. It is commonly read as "three times four" or "four groups of three." The result is 12, and because multiplication is commutative, 3×4 equals 4×3.

As a geometric interpretation, 3×4 represents the area of a rectangle with side lengths 3 units and 4 units, yielding 12 square units. The number 12 has multiple factor pairs, such as 1×12, 2×6, and 3×4, illustrating its composite nature. The operation also demonstrates basic properties of multiplication, including the distributive and associative relations when combined with addition or other multiplications.

In broader use, a 3×4 designation appears in contexts such as grids, where a 3-by-4 array contains 12 cells, or in description of matrices with 3 rows and 4 columns. It also features in early education as a foundational multiplication fact in the standard times tables, supporting arithmetic fluency, estimation, and problem solving.