OK, let's work through this together. We're starting with 997 and we're going to multiply it by 42, which means we add 997 to itself 42 times.
Step 1: 0 + 997 = 997
Step 2: 997 + 997 = 1994
Step 3: 1994 + 997 = 2991
Step 4: 2991 + 997 = 3988
Step 5: 3988 + 997 = 4985
Step 6: 4985 + 997 = 5982
Step 7: 5982 + 997 = 6979
Step 8: 6979 + 997 = 7976
Step 9: 7976 + 997 = 8973
Step 10: 8973 + 997 = 9970
Step 11: 9970 + 997 = 10967
Step 12: 10967 + 997 = 11964
Step 13: 11964 + 997 = 12961
Step 14: 12961 + 997 = 13958
Step 15: 13958 + 997 = 14955
Step 16: 14955 + 997 = 15952
Step 17: 15952 + 997 = 16949
Step 18: 16949 + 997 = 17946
Step 19: 17946 + 997 = 18943
Step 20: 18943 + 997 = 19940
Step 21: 19940 + 997 = 20937
Step 22: 20937 + 997 = 21934
Step 23: 21934 + 997 = 22931
Step 24: 22931 + 997 = 23928
Step 25: 23928 + 997 = 24925
Step 26: 24925 + 997 = 25922
Step 27: 25922 + 997 = 26919
Step 28: 26919 + 997 = 27916
Step 29: 27916 + 997 = 28913
Step 30: 28913 + 997 = 29910
Step 31: 29910 + 997 = 30907
Step 32: 30907 + 997 = 31904
Step 33: 31904 + 997 = 32901
Step 34: 32901 + 997 = 33898
Step 35: 33898 + 997 = 34895
Step 36: 34895 + 997 = 35892
Step 37: 35892 + 997 = 36889
Step 38: 36889 + 997 = 37886
Step 39: 37886 + 997 = 38883
Step 40: 38883 + 997 = 39880
Step 41: 39880 + 997 = 40877
Step 42: 40877 + 997 = 41874

So, 997*42 = 41874