The area \( A \) of a rectangle (or a quadrilateral if it has right angles) can be calculated using the formula:
\[ A = \text{length} \times \text{width} \]
For your quadrilateral with a length of 16 inches and a width of 12 inches, the area would be:
\[ A = 16 , \text{inches} \times 12 , \text{inches} = 192 , \text{square inches} \]
Therefore, the area is 192 square inches.