1. **State the problem:** We need to find the area of a rectangle with length 12 cm and width 5 cm. 2. **Formula:** The area $A$ of a rectangle is given by the formula: $$A = \text{length} \times \text{width}$$ 3. **Apply the values:** Substitute length = 12 cm and width = 5 cm into the formula: $$A = 12 \times 5$$ 4. **Calculate:** $$A = 60$$ 5. **Answer:** The area of the rectangle is $60$ square centimeters.