current amplification of a circuit containing a transistor
Not quite.

Richman's answer is good and normally I would say it is correct, but...

given Vcc=10V, Rc=972, Ic=12ma, we are not in the real physical world.

12ma through a 972 ohm resistor drops 11.664 volts, yet the supply is only 10 volts. 

Somebody isn't telling us something...