16 Factor the following by grouping. \[ x^{2}+6 x-2 x-12 \] Select the correct choice below and, if necessary, fill in the answer box to complete your choice. A. \( x^{2}+6 x-2 x-12= \) B. The polynomial is prime.

To factor by grouping, we first rewrite the expression: \[ x^{2} + 6x - 2x - 12 \] Now, we can group the terms: \[ (x^{2} + 6x) + (-2x - 12) \] Factoring out common factors from each group gives us: \[ x(x + 6) - 2(x + 6) \] Now we can factor out the common binomial: \[ (x - 2)(x + 6) \] So, the answer is: A. \( x^{2}+6 x-2 x-12= (x - 2)(x + 6) \) And just to clarify, the polynomial is not prime; it can be factored into these linear factors.