Which of the following statements are correct?
1. Starch forms helical secondary structures while cellulose doesn't have complex helices.
2. Palmitic acid has 14- `CH_2` groups in its structure.
3. Maltose is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose.
4. The number of carbon and oxygen atoms present in glucose is less than those present in ribose.

Options

A. 1 and 2
B. 3 and 4
C. 1, 2 and 3
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer

To determine which statements are correct, let's analyze each statement one by one:

1. **Starch forms helical secondary structures while cellulose doesn't have complex helices.**
- **Analysis**: This statement is correct. Starch is known for its helical structure, which can form complexes with iodine, resulting in a blue color. Cellulose, on the other hand, has a linear structure and does not form helices.
- **Conclusion**: This statement is **true**.

2. **Palmitic acid has 14-CH2 groups in its structure.**
- **Analysis**: Palmitic acid is a saturated fatty acid with the formula C16H32O2. It has a long hydrocarbon chain consisting of 16 carbon atoms, which means it has 14 CH2 groups (since each CH2 group corresponds to a carbon atom except for the terminal ones).
- **Conclusion**: This statement is **true**.

3. **Maltose is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose.**
- **Analysis**: This statement is incorrect. Maltose is actually a disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules. The disaccharide that is made up of glucose and fructose is sucrose.
- **Conclusion**: This statement is **false**.

4. **The number of carbon and oxygen atoms present in glucose is less than those present in ribose.**
- **Analysis**: Glucose (C6H12O6) has 6 carbon atoms and 6 oxygen atoms, while ribose (C5H10O5) has 5 carbon atoms and 5 oxygen atoms. Therefore, glucose has more carbon and oxygen atoms than ribose.
- **Conclusion**: This statement is **false**.

Now, summarizing the analysis:
- Statement 1: True
- Statement 2: True
- Statement 3: False
- Statement 4: False

Thus, the correct statements are 1 and 2.

### Final Answer:
The correct answer is that statements 1 and 2 are correct.