Which private IP address class has a starting value of 172.16?

The private IP address class that has a starting value of 172.16 falls under Class B. Class B private IP addresses are defined within the range of 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255. This range is specifically designated for private networks and is not routable over the public internet, allowing organizations to use these addresses internally without the risk of IP address conflicts with publicly routable addresses.

Understanding IP address classes is crucial for network design and configuration. Class A addresses typically encompass larger networks, starting from 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255. Class C addresses, on the other hand, start from 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 and are commonly used in smaller networks. Class D addresses are reserved for multicast groups, not for general use in private networking.

So, recognizing that the 172.16 address is part of the Class B address space confirms that this is the correct answer.