A box in the shape of a rectangular prism, with dimensions 12 inches by 18 inches by 12 inches, can hold exactly 12 cubes measuring 6 inches on each side. If the length and width of the base are doubled, how many cubes could the new box hold?

Doubling both the length and width multiplies the base area by 2 × 2 = 4, while the height stays the same. The new box can therefore hold 4 times as many cubes: 12 × 4 = 48. The correct choice is 48.

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