OK, let's work through this together. We're starting with 281 and we're going to multiply it by 72, which means we add 281 to itself 72 times.
Step 1: 0 + 281 = 281
Step 2: 281 + 281 = 562
Step 3: 562 + 281 = 843
Step 4: 843 + 281 = 1124
Step 5: 1124 + 281 = 1405
Step 6: 1405 + 281 = 1686
Step 7: 1686 + 281 = 1967
Step 8: 1967 + 281 = 2248
Step 9: 2248 + 281 = 2529
Step 10: 2529 + 281 = 2810
Step 11: 2810 + 281 = 3091
Step 12: 3091 + 281 = 3372
Step 13: 3372 + 281 = 3653
Step 14: 3653 + 281 = 3934
Step 15: 3934 + 281 = 4215
Step 16: 4215 + 281 = 4496
Step 17: 4496 + 281 = 4777
Step 18: 4777 + 281 = 5058
Step 19: 5058 + 281 = 5339
Step 20: 5339 + 281 = 5620
Step 21: 5620 + 281 = 5901
Step 22: 5901 + 281 = 6182
Step 23: 6182 + 281 = 6463
Step 24: 6463 + 281 = 6744
Step 25: 6744 + 281 = 7025
Step 26: 7025 + 281 = 7306
Step 27: 7306 + 281 = 7587
Step 28: 7587 + 281 = 7868
Step 29: 7868 + 281 = 8149
Step 30: 8149 + 281 = 8430
Step 31: 8430 + 281 = 8711
Step 32: 8711 + 281 = 8992
Step 33: 8992 + 281 = 9273
Step 34: 9273 + 281 = 9554
Step 35: 9554 + 281 = 9835
Step 36: 9835 + 281 = 10116
Step 37: 10116 + 281 = 10397
Step 38: 10397 + 281 = 10678
Step 39: 10678 + 281 = 10959
Step 40: 10959 + 281 = 11240
Step 41: 11240 + 281 = 11521
Step 42: 11521 + 281 = 11802
Step 43: 11802 + 281 = 12083
Step 44: 12083 + 281 = 12364
Step 45: 12364 + 281 = 12645
Step 46: 12645 + 281 = 12926
Step 47: 12926 + 281 = 13207
Step 48: 13207 + 281 = 13488
Step 49: 13488 + 281 = 13769
Step 50: 13769 + 281 = 14050
Step 51: 14050 + 281 = 14331
Step 52: 14331 + 281 = 14612
Step 53: 14612 + 281 = 14893
Step 54: 14893 + 281 = 15174
Step 55: 15174 + 281 = 15455
Step 56: 15455 + 281 = 15736
Step 57: 15736 + 281 = 16017
Step 58: 16017 + 281 = 16298
Step 59: 16298 + 281 = 16579
Step 60: 16579 + 281 = 16860
Step 61: 16860 + 281 = 17141
Step 62: 17141 + 281 = 17422
Step 63: 17422 + 281 = 17703
Step 64: 17703 + 281 = 17984
Step 65: 17984 + 281 = 18265
Step 66: 18265 + 281 = 18546
Step 67: 18546 + 281 = 18827
Step 68: 18827 + 281 = 19108
Step 69: 19108 + 281 = 19389
Step 70: 19389 + 281 = 19670
Step 71: 19670 + 281 = 19951
Step 72: 19951 + 281 = 20232

So, 281*72 = 20232