What is the square root of 144?

The square root of a number is a value that, when multiplied by itself, gives the original number. In this case, we are looking for the number that, when multiplied by itself, equals 144.

The number 12 is significant because ( 12 \times 12 = 144 ). This confirms that the square root of 144 is indeed 12. This aligns with the mathematical definition of square roots, making this choice the correct answer.

The other numbers, like 10, 11, and 13, do not satisfy the condition, as their squares do not equal 144. Specifically, ( 10 \times 10 = 100 ), ( 11 \times 11 = 121 ), and ( 13 \times 13 = 169 ). Therefore, they are not the square root of 144. This reinforces that 12 is the accurate response.