1. **Problem statement:** Find the area of the shaded region inside a rectangle of dimensions 12 cm by 6 cm, excluding a circle of radius 2 cm inside it. 2. **Formula used:** - Area of rectangle = $\text{length} \times \text{width}$ - Area of circle = $\pi r^2$ 3. **Calculate the area of the rectangle:** $$12 \times 6 = 72 \text{ cm}^2$$ 4. **Calculate the area of the circle:** $$\pi \times 2^2 = 4\pi \approx 12.5664 \text{ cm}^2$$ 5. **Calculate the shaded area:** $$\text{Area of rectangle} - \text{Area of circle} = 72 - 12.5664 = 59.4336 \text{ cm}^2$$ 6. **Final answer:** Rounded to two decimal places, the shaded area is approximately $59.44$ cm$^2$. Therefore, the correct choice is **d. 59.44**.