Here's why:
* Elements: Sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) are elements, which are the basic building blocks of matter.
* Compound: Sodium chloride (NaCl) is a compound formed by the chemical combination of sodium and chlorine in a fixed ratio (1:1).
The coefficient "2" in front of NaCl indicates that there are two units of sodium chloride. It doesn't change the fact that NaCl is a compound.