Alright, let's solve this math problem step by step. First, we have the number 279. Next, we see the multiplication sign, which means we need to multiply something. And what are we multiplying it by? We multiply it by 178. So, we're going to take the number 279 and add it to itself 178 times.
Step 1: 0 + 279 = 279
Step 2: 279 + 279 = 558
Step 3: 558 + 279 = 837
Step 4: 837 + 279 = 1116
Step 5: 1116 + 279 = 1395
Step 6: 1395 + 279 = 1674
Step 7: 1674 + 279 = 1953
Step 8: 1953 + 279 = 2232
Step 9: 2232 + 279 = 2511
Step 10: 2511 + 279 = 2790
Step 11: 2790 + 279 = 3069
Step 12: 3069 + 279 = 3348
Step 13: 3348 + 279 = 3627
Step 14: 3627 + 279 = 3906
Step 15: 3906 + 279 = 4185
Step 16: 4185 + 279 = 4464
Step 17: 4464 + 279 = 4743
Step 18: 4743 + 279 = 5022
Step 19: 5022 + 279 = 5301
Step 20: 5301 + 279 = 5580
Step 21: 5580 + 279 = 5859
Step 22: 5859 + 279 = 6138
Step 23: 6138 + 279 = 6417
Step 24: 6417 + 279 = 6696
Step 25: 6696 + 279 = 6975
Step 26: 6975 + 279 = 7254
Step 27: 7254 + 279 = 7533
Step 28: 7533 + 279 = 7812
Step 29: 7812 + 279 = 8091
Step 30: 8091 + 279 = 8370
Step 31: 8370 + 279 = 8649
Step 32: 8649 + 279 = 8928
Step 33: 8928 + 279 = 9207
Step 34: 9207 + 279 = 9486
Step 35: 9486 + 279 = 9765
Step 36: 9765 + 279 = 10044
Step 37: 10044 + 279 = 10323
Step 38: 10323 + 279 = 10602
Step 39: 10602 + 279 = 10881
Step 40: 10881 + 279 = 11160
Step 41: 11160 + 279 = 11439
Step 42: 11439 + 279 = 11718
Step 43: 11718 + 279 = 11997
Step 44: 11997 + 279 = 12276
Step 45: 12276 + 279 = 12555
Step 46: 12555 + 279 = 12834
Step 47: 12834 + 279 = 13113
Step 48: 13113 + 279 = 13392
Step 49: 13392 + 279 = 13671
Step 50: 13671 + 279 = 13950
Step 51: 13950 + 279 = 14229
Step 52: 14229 + 279 = 14508
Step 53: 14508 + 279 = 14787
Step 54: 14787 + 279 = 15066
Step 55: 15066 + 279 = 15345
Step 56: 15345 + 279 = 15624
Step 57: 15624 + 279 = 15903
Step 58: 15903 + 279 = 16182
Step 59: 16182 + 279 = 16461
Step 60: 16461 + 279 = 16740
Step 61: 16740 + 279 = 17019
Step 62: 17019 + 279 = 17298
Step 63: 17298 + 279 = 17577
Step 64: 17577 + 279 = 17856
Step 65: 17856 + 279 = 18135
Step 66: 18135 + 279 = 18414
Step 67: 18414 + 279 = 18693
Step 68: 18693 + 279 = 18972
Step 69: 18972 + 279 = 19251
Step 70: 19251 + 279 = 19530
Step 71: 19530 + 279 = 19809
Step 72: 19809 + 279 = 20088
Step 73: 20088 + 279 = 20367
Step 74: 20367 + 279 = 20646
Step 75: 20646 + 279 = 20925
Step 76: 20925 + 279 = 21204
Step 77: 21204 + 279 = 21483
Step 78: 21483 + 279 = 21762
Step 79: 21762 + 279 = 22041
Step 80: 22041 + 279 = 22320
Step 81: 22320 + 279 = 22599
Step 82: 22599 + 279 = 22878
Step 83: 22878 + 279 = 23157
Step 84: 23157 + 279 = 23436
Step 85: 23436 + 279 = 23715
Step 86: 23715 + 279 = 23994
Step 87: 23994 + 279 = 24273
Step 88: 24273 + 279 = 24552
Step 89: 24552 + 279 = 24831
Step 90: 24831 + 279 = 25110
Step 91: 25110 + 279 = 25389
Step 92: 25389 + 279 = 25668
Step 93: 25668 + 279 = 25947
Step 94: 25947 + 279 = 26226
Step 95: 26226 + 279 = 26505
Step 96: 26505 + 279 = 26784
Step 97: 26784 + 279 = 27063
Step 98: 27063 + 279 = 27342
Step 99: 27342 + 279 = 27621
Step 100: 27621 + 279 = 27900
Step 101: 27900 + 279 = 28179
Step 102: 28179 + 279 = 28458
Step 103: 28458 + 279 = 28737
Step 104: 28737 + 279 = 29016
Step 105: 29016 + 279 = 29295
Step 106: 29295 + 279 = 29574
Step 107: 29574 + 279 = 29853
Step 108: 29853 + 279 = 30132
Step 109: 30132 + 279 = 30411
Step 110: 30411 + 279 = 30690
Step 111: 30690 + 279 = 30969
Step 112: 30969 + 279 = 31248
Step 113: 31248 + 279 = 31527
Step 114: 31527 + 279 = 31806
Step 115: 31806 + 279 = 32085
Step 116: 32085 + 279 = 32364
Step 117: 32364 + 279 = 32643
Step 118: 32643 + 279 = 32922
Step 119: 32922 + 279 = 33201
Step 120: 33201 + 279 = 33480
Step 121: 33480 + 279 = 33759
Step 122: 33759 + 279 = 34038
Step 123: 34038 + 279 = 34317
Step 124: 34317 + 279 = 34596
Step 125: 34596 + 279 = 34875
Step 126: 34875 + 279 = 35154
Step 127: 35154 + 279 = 35433
Step 128: 35433 + 279 = 35712
Step 129: 35712 + 279 = 35991
Step 130: 35991 + 279 = 36270
Step 131: 36270 + 279 = 36549
Step 132: 36549 + 279 = 36828
Step 133: 36828 + 279 = 37107
Step 134: 37107 + 279 = 37386
Step 135: 37386 + 279 = 37665
Step 136: 37665 + 279 = 37944
Step 137: 37944 + 279 = 38223
Step 138: 38223 + 279 = 38502
Step 139: 38502 + 279 = 38781
Step 140: 38781 + 279 = 39060
Step 141: 39060 + 279 = 39339
Step 142: 39339 + 279 = 39618
Step 143: 39618 + 279 = 39897
Step 144: 39897 + 279 = 40176
Step 145: 40176 + 279 = 40455
Step 146: 40455 + 279 = 40734
Step 147: 40734 + 279 = 41013
Step 148: 41013 + 279 = 41292
Step 149: 41292 + 279 = 41571
Step 150: 41571 + 279 = 41850
Step 151: 41850 + 279 = 42129
Step 152: 42129 + 279 = 42408
Step 153: 42408 + 279 = 42687
Step 154: 42687 + 279 = 42966
Step 155: 42966 + 279 = 43245
Step 156: 43245 + 279 = 43524
Step 157: 43524 + 279 = 43803
Step 158: 43803 + 279 = 44082
Step 159: 44082 + 279 = 44361
Step 160: 44361 + 279 = 44640
Step 161: 44640 + 279 = 44919
Step 162: 44919 + 279 = 45198
Step 163: 45198 + 279 = 45477
Step 164: 45477 + 279 = 45756
Step 165: 45756 + 279 = 46035
Step 166: 46035 + 279 = 46314
Step 167: 46314 + 279 = 46593
Step 168: 46593 + 279 = 46872
Step 169: 46872 + 279 = 47151
Step 170: 47151 + 279 = 47430
Step 171: 47430 + 279 = 47709
Step 172: 47709 + 279 = 47988
Step 173: 47988 + 279 = 48267
Step 174: 48267 + 279 = 48546
Step 175: 48546 + 279 = 48825
Step 176: 48825 + 279 = 49104
Step 177: 49104 + 279 = 49383
Step 178: 49383 + 279 = 49662

So, 279*178 = 49662