Final answer:
The articles of incorporation must include the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue (option 2). The minutes of the first meeting, terms for dissolution, and the corporate seal are not required in this document.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the required contents of the articles of incorporation, which is a document necessary for the establishment of a corporation. The articles of incorporation need to include certain key elements as required by the jurisdiction in which the corporation is being formed. Among the options provided in the question, the correct element that must be included in the articles of incorporation is the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue. This information sets the limit on how many shares can be sold to shareholders and is fundamental for potential investors to understand the equity structure of the corporation.
The other options mentioned, such as the minutes of the first organizational meeting, the terms warranting corporate dissolution, and the corporate seal used in the articles are not typically required in the articles of incorporation. The minutes are internal documents that are recorded but not filed publicly, the dissolution terms are often covered in a separate agreement or bylaws, and the corporate seal, while important for official documents, is not a requirement for the articles themselves.