OK, let's work through this together. We're starting with 81 and we're going to multiply it by 96, which means we add 81 to itself 96 times.
Step 1: 0 + 81 = 81
Step 2: 81 + 81 = 162
Step 3: 162 + 81 = 243
Step 4: 243 + 81 = 324
Step 5: 324 + 81 = 405
Step 6: 405 + 81 = 486
Step 7: 486 + 81 = 567
Step 8: 567 + 81 = 648
Step 9: 648 + 81 = 729
Step 10: 729 + 81 = 810
Step 11: 810 + 81 = 891
Step 12: 891 + 81 = 972
Step 13: 972 + 81 = 1053
Step 14: 1053 + 81 = 1134
Step 15: 1134 + 81 = 1215
Step 16: 1215 + 81 = 1296
Step 17: 1296 + 81 = 1377
Step 18: 1377 + 81 = 1458
Step 19: 1458 + 81 = 1539
Step 20: 1539 + 81 = 1620
Step 21: 1620 + 81 = 1701
Step 22: 1701 + 81 = 1782
Step 23: 1782 + 81 = 1863
Step 24: 1863 + 81 = 1944
Step 25: 1944 + 81 = 2025
Step 26: 2025 + 81 = 2106
Step 27: 2106 + 81 = 2187
Step 28: 2187 + 81 = 2268
Step 29: 2268 + 81 = 2349
Step 30: 2349 + 81 = 2430
Step 31: 2430 + 81 = 2511
Step 32: 2511 + 81 = 2592
Step 33: 2592 + 81 = 2673
Step 34: 2673 + 81 = 2754
Step 35: 2754 + 81 = 2835
Step 36: 2835 + 81 = 2916
Step 37: 2916 + 81 = 2997
Step 38: 2997 + 81 = 3078
Step 39: 3078 + 81 = 3159
Step 40: 3159 + 81 = 3240
Step 41: 3240 + 81 = 3321
Step 42: 3321 + 81 = 3402
Step 43: 3402 + 81 = 3483
Step 44: 3483 + 81 = 3564
Step 45: 3564 + 81 = 3645
Step 46: 3645 + 81 = 3726
Step 47: 3726 + 81 = 3807
Step 48: 3807 + 81 = 3888
Step 49: 3888 + 81 = 3969
Step 50: 3969 + 81 = 4050
Step 51: 4050 + 81 = 4131
Step 52: 4131 + 81 = 4212
Step 53: 4212 + 81 = 4293
Step 54: 4293 + 81 = 4374
Step 55: 4374 + 81 = 4455
Step 56: 4455 + 81 = 4536
Step 57: 4536 + 81 = 4617
Step 58: 4617 + 81 = 4698
Step 59: 4698 + 81 = 4779
Step 60: 4779 + 81 = 4860
Step 61: 4860 + 81 = 4941
Step 62: 4941 + 81 = 5022
Step 63: 5022 + 81 = 5103
Step 64: 5103 + 81 = 5184
Step 65: 5184 + 81 = 5265
Step 66: 5265 + 81 = 5346
Step 67: 5346 + 81 = 5427
Step 68: 5427 + 81 = 5508
Step 69: 5508 + 81 = 5589
Step 70: 5589 + 81 = 5670
Step 71: 5670 + 81 = 5751
Step 72: 5751 + 81 = 5832
Step 73: 5832 + 81 = 5913
Step 74: 5913 + 81 = 5994
Step 75: 5994 + 81 = 6075
Step 76: 6075 + 81 = 6156
Step 77: 6156 + 81 = 6237
Step 78: 6237 + 81 = 6318
Step 79: 6318 + 81 = 6399
Step 80: 6399 + 81 = 6480
Step 81: 6480 + 81 = 6561
Step 82: 6561 + 81 = 6642
Step 83: 6642 + 81 = 6723
Step 84: 6723 + 81 = 6804
Step 85: 6804 + 81 = 6885
Step 86: 6885 + 81 = 6966
Step 87: 6966 + 81 = 7047
Step 88: 7047 + 81 = 7128
Step 89: 7128 + 81 = 7209
Step 90: 7209 + 81 = 7290
Step 91: 7290 + 81 = 7371
Step 92: 7371 + 81 = 7452
Step 93: 7452 + 81 = 7533
Step 94: 7533 + 81 = 7614
Step 95: 7614 + 81 = 7695
Step 96: 7695 + 81 = 7776

So, 81*96 = 7776