1. **State the problem:** Simplify the expression $\sqrt{96}$. 2. **Recall the formula and rules:** The square root of a product can be expressed as the product of the square roots: $$\sqrt{a \times b} = \sqrt{a} \times \sqrt{b}$$. We look for perfect square factors of 96 to simplify. 3. **Factorize 96:** $$96 = 16 \times 6$$ 4. **Apply the square root to each factor:** $$\sqrt{96} = \sqrt{16 \times 6} = \sqrt{16} \times \sqrt{6}$$ 5. **Evaluate the square root of the perfect square:** $$\sqrt{16} = 4$$ 6. **Write the simplified form:** $$\sqrt{96} = 4 \sqrt{6}$$ **Final answer:** $\boxed{4 \sqrt{6}}$