OK, let's crack this. We're given 281 and our task is to multiply it by 489. Essentially, we'll be adding 281 to itself 489 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
Step 73: 20232 + 281 = 20513
Step 74: 20513 + 281 = 20794
Step 75: 20794 + 281 = 21075
Step 76: 21075 + 281 = 21356
Step 77: 21356 + 281 = 21637
Step 78: 21637 + 281 = 21918
Step 79: 21918 + 281 = 22199
Step 80: 22199 + 281 = 22480
Step 81: 22480 + 281 = 22761
Step 82: 22761 + 281 = 23042
Step 83: 23042 + 281 = 23323
Step 84: 23323 + 281 = 23604
Step 85: 23604 + 281 = 23885
Step 86: 23885 + 281 = 24166
Step 87: 24166 + 281 = 24447
Step 88: 24447 + 281 = 24728
Step 89: 24728 + 281 = 25009
Step 90: 25009 + 281 = 25290
Step 91: 25290 + 281 = 25571
Step 92: 25571 + 281 = 25852
Step 93: 25852 + 281 = 26133
Step 94: 26133 + 281 = 26414
Step 95: 26414 + 281 = 26695
Step 96: 26695 + 281 = 26976
Step 97: 26976 + 281 = 27257
Step 98: 27257 + 281 = 27538
Step 99: 27538 + 281 = 27819
Step 100: 27819 + 281 = 28100
Step 101: 28100 + 281 = 28381
Step 102: 28381 + 281 = 28662
Step 103: 28662 + 281 = 28943
Step 104: 28943 + 281 = 29224
Step 105: 29224 + 281 = 29505
Step 106: 29505 + 281 = 29786
Step 107: 29786 + 281 = 30067
Step 108: 30067 + 281 = 30348
Step 109: 30348 + 281 = 30629
Step 110: 30629 + 281 = 30910
Step 111: 30910 + 281 = 31191
Step 112: 31191 + 281 = 31472
Step 113: 31472 + 281 = 31753
Step 114: 31753 + 281 = 32034
Step 115: 32034 + 281 = 32315
Step 116: 32315 + 281 = 32596
Step 117: 32596 + 281 = 32877
Step 118: 32877 + 281 = 33158
Step 119: 33158 + 281 = 33439
Step 120: 33439 + 281 = 33720
Step 121: 33720 + 281 = 34001
Step 122: 34001 + 281 = 34282
Step 123: 34282 + 281 = 34563
Step 124: 34563 + 281 = 34844
Step 125: 34844 + 281 = 35125
Step 126: 35125 + 281 = 35406
Step 127: 35406 + 281 = 35687
Step 128: 35687 + 281 = 35968
Step 129: 35968 + 281 = 36249
Step 130: 36249 + 281 = 36530
Step 131: 36530 + 281 = 36811
Step 132: 36811 + 281 = 37092
Step 133: 37092 + 281 = 37373
Step 134: 37373 + 281 = 37654
Step 135: 37654 + 281 = 37935
Step 136: 37935 + 281 = 38216
Step 137: 38216 + 281 = 38497
Step 138: 38497 + 281 = 38778
Step 139: 38778 + 281 = 39059
Step 140: 39059 + 281 = 39340
Step 141: 39340 + 281 = 39621
Step 142: 39621 + 281 = 39902
Step 143: 39902 + 281 = 40183
Step 144: 40183 + 281 = 40464
Step 145: 40464 + 281 = 40745
Step 146: 40745 + 281 = 41026
Step 147: 41026 + 281 = 41307
Step 148: 41307 + 281 = 41588
Step 149: 41588 + 281 = 41869
Step 150: 41869 + 281 = 42150
Step 151: 42150 + 281 = 42431
Step 152: 42431 + 281 = 42712
Step 153: 42712 + 281 = 42993
Step 154: 42993 + 281 = 43274
Step 155: 43274 + 281 = 43555
Step 156: 43555 + 281 = 43836
Step 157: 43836 + 281 = 44117
Step 158: 44117 + 281 = 44398
Step 159: 44398 + 281 = 44679
Step 160: 44679 + 281 = 44960
Step 161: 44960 + 281 = 45241
Step 162: 45241 + 281 = 45522
Step 163: 45522 + 281 = 45803
Step 164: 45803 + 281 = 46084
Step 165: 46084 + 281 = 46365
Step 166: 46365 + 281 = 46646
Step 167: 46646 + 281 = 46927
Step 168: 46927 + 281 = 47208
Step 169: 47208 + 281 = 47489
Step 170: 47489 + 281 = 47770
Step 171: 47770 + 281 = 48051
Step 172: 48051 + 281 = 48332
Step 173: 48332 + 281 = 48613
Step 174: 48613 + 281 = 48894
Step 175: 48894 + 281 = 49175
Step 176: 49175 + 281 = 49456
Step 177: 49456 + 281 = 49737
Step 178: 49737 + 281 = 50018
Step 179: 50018 + 281 = 50299
Step 180: 50299 + 281 = 50580
Step 181: 50580 + 281 = 50861
Step 182: 50861 + 281 = 51142
Step 183: 51142 + 281 = 51423
Step 184: 51423 + 281 = 51704
Step 185: 51704 + 281 = 51985
Step 186: 51985 + 281 = 52266
Step 187: 52266 + 281 = 52547
Step 188: 52547 + 281 = 52828
Step 189: 52828 + 281 = 53109
Step 190: 53109 + 281 = 53390
Step 191: 53390 + 281 = 53671
Step 192: 53671 + 281 = 53952
Step 193: 53952 + 281 = 54233
Step 194: 54233 + 281 = 54514
Step 195: 54514 + 281 = 54795
Step 196: 54795 + 281 = 55076
Step 197: 55076 + 281 = 55357
Step 198: 55357 + 281 = 55638
Step 199: 55638 + 281 = 55919
Step 200: 55919 + 281 = 56200
Step 201: 56200 + 281 = 56481
Step 202: 56481 + 281 = 56762
Step 203: 56762 + 281 = 57043
Step 204: 57043 + 281 = 57324
Step 205: 57324 + 281 = 57605
Step 206: 57605 + 281 = 57886
Step 207: 57886 + 281 = 58167
Step 208: 58167 + 281 = 58448
Step 209: 58448 + 281 = 58729
Step 210: 58729 + 281 = 59010
Step 211: 59010 + 281 = 59291
Step 212: 59291 + 281 = 59572
Step 213: 59572 + 281 = 59853
Step 214: 59853 + 281 = 60134
Step 215: 60134 + 281 = 60415
Step 216: 60415 + 281 = 60696
Step 217: 60696 + 281 = 60977
Step 218: 60977 + 281 = 61258
Step 219: 61258 + 281 = 61539
Step 220: 61539 + 281 = 61820
Step 221: 61820 + 281 = 62101
Step 222: 62101 + 281 = 62382
Step 223: 62382 + 281 = 62663
Step 224: 62663 + 281 = 62944
Step 225: 62944 + 281 = 63225
Step 226: 63225 + 281 = 63506
Step 227: 63506 + 281 = 63787
Step 228: 63787 + 281 = 64068
Step 229: 64068 + 281 = 64349
Step 230: 64349 + 281 = 64630
Step 231: 64630 + 281 = 64911
Step 232: 64911 + 281 = 65192
Step 233: 65192 + 281 = 65473
Step 234: 65473 + 281 = 65754
Step 235: 65754 + 281 = 66035
Step 236: 66035 + 281 = 66316
Step 237: 66316 + 281 = 66597
Step 238: 66597 + 281 = 66878
Step 239: 66878 + 281 = 67159
Step 240: 67159 + 281 = 67440
Step 241: 67440 + 281 = 67721
Step 242: 67721 + 281 = 68002
Step 243: 68002 + 281 = 68283
Step 244: 68283 + 281 = 68564
Step 245: 68564 + 281 = 68845
Step 246: 68845 + 281 = 69126
Step 247: 69126 + 281 = 69407
Step 248: 69407 + 281 = 69688
Step 249: 69688 + 281 = 69969
Step 250: 69969 + 281 = 70250
Step 251: 70250 + 281 = 70531
Step 252: 70531 + 281 = 70812
Step 253: 70812 + 281 = 71093
Step 254: 71093 + 281 = 71374
Step 255: 71374 + 281 = 71655
Step 256: 71655 + 281 = 71936
Step 257: 71936 + 281 = 72217
Step 258: 72217 + 281 = 72498
Step 259: 72498 + 281 = 72779
Step 260: 72779 + 281 = 73060
Step 261: 73060 + 281 = 73341
Step 262: 73341 + 281 = 73622
Step 263: 73622 + 281 = 73903
Step 264: 73903 + 281 = 74184
Step 265: 74184 + 281 = 74465
Step 266: 74465 + 281 = 74746
Step 267: 74746 + 281 = 75027
Step 268: 75027 + 281 = 75308
Step 269: 75308 + 281 = 75589
Step 270: 75589 + 281 = 75870
Step 271: 75870 + 281 = 76151
Step 272: 76151 + 281 = 76432
Step 273: 76432 + 281 = 76713
Step 274: 76713 + 281 = 76994
Step 275: 76994 + 281 = 77275
Step 276: 77275 + 281 = 77556
Step 277: 77556 + 281 = 77837
Step 278: 77837 + 281 = 78118
Step 279: 78118 + 281 = 78399
Step 280: 78399 + 281 = 78680
Step 281: 78680 + 281 = 78961
Step 282: 78961 + 281 = 79242
Step 283: 79242 + 281 = 79523
Step 284: 79523 + 281 = 79804
Step 285: 79804 + 281 = 80085
Step 286: 80085 + 281 = 80366
Step 287: 80366 + 281 = 80647
Step 288: 80647 + 281 = 80928
Step 289: 80928 + 281 = 81209
Step 290: 81209 + 281 = 81490
Step 291: 81490 + 281 = 81771
Step 292: 81771 + 281 = 82052
Step 293: 82052 + 281 = 82333
Step 294: 82333 + 281 = 82614
Step 295: 82614 + 281 = 82895
Step 296: 82895 + 281 = 83176
Step 297: 83176 + 281 = 83457
Step 298: 83457 + 281 = 83738
Step 299: 83738 + 281 = 84019
Step 300: 84019 + 281 = 84300
Step 301: 84300 + 281 = 84581
Step 302: 84581 + 281 = 84862
Step 303: 84862 + 281 = 85143
Step 304: 85143 + 281 = 85424
Step 305: 85424 + 281 = 85705
Step 306: 85705 + 281 = 85986
Step 307: 85986 + 281 = 86267
Step 308: 86267 + 281 = 86548
Step 309: 86548 + 281 = 86829
Step 310: 86829 + 281 = 87110
Step 311: 87110 + 281 = 87391
Step 312: 87391 + 281 = 87672
Step 313: 87672 + 281 = 87953
Step 314: 87953 + 281 = 88234
Step 315: 88234 + 281 = 88515
Step 316: 88515 + 281 = 88796
Step 317: 88796 + 281 = 89077
Step 318: 89077 + 281 = 89358
Step 319: 89358 + 281 = 89639
Step 320: 89639 + 281 = 89920
Step 321: 89920 + 281 = 90201
Step 322: 90201 + 281 = 90482
Step 323: 90482 + 281 = 90763
Step 324: 90763 + 281 = 91044
Step 325: 91044 + 281 = 91325
Step 326: 91325 + 281 = 91606
Step 327: 91606 + 281 = 91887
Step 328: 91887 + 281 = 92168
Step 329: 92168 + 281 = 92449
Step 330: 92449 + 281 = 92730
Step 331: 92730 + 281 = 93011
Step 332: 93011 + 281 = 93292
Step 333: 93292 + 281 = 93573
Step 334: 93573 + 281 = 93854
Step 335: 93854 + 281 = 94135
Step 336: 94135 + 281 = 94416
Step 337: 94416 + 281 = 94697
Step 338: 94697 + 281 = 94978
Step 339: 94978 + 281 = 95259
Step 340: 95259 + 281 = 95540
Step 341: 95540 + 281 = 95821
Step 342: 95821 + 281 = 96102
Step 343: 96102 + 281 = 96383
Step 344: 96383 + 281 = 96664
Step 345: 96664 + 281 = 96945
Step 346: 96945 + 281 = 97226
Step 347: 97226 + 281 = 97507
Step 348: 97507 + 281 = 97788
Step 349: 97788 + 281 = 98069
Step 350: 98069 + 281 = 98350
Step 351: 98350 + 281 = 98631
Step 352: 98631 + 281 = 98912
Step 353: 98912 + 281 = 99193
Step 354: 99193 + 281 = 99474
Step 355: 99474 + 281 = 99755
Step 356: 99755 + 281 = 100036
Step 357: 100036 + 281 = 100317
Step 358: 100317 + 281 = 100598
Step 359: 100598 + 281 = 100879
Step 360: 100879 + 281 = 101160
Step 361: 101160 + 281 = 101441
Step 362: 101441 + 281 = 101722
Step 363: 101722 + 281 = 102003
Step 364: 102003 + 281 = 102284
Step 365: 102284 + 281 = 102565
Step 366: 102565 + 281 = 102846
Step 367: 102846 + 281 = 103127
Step 368: 103127 + 281 = 103408
Step 369: 103408 + 281 = 103689
Step 370: 103689 + 281 = 103970
Step 371: 103970 + 281 = 104251
Step 372: 104251 + 281 = 104532
Step 373: 104532 + 281 = 104813
Step 374: 104813 + 281 = 105094
Step 375: 105094 + 281 = 105375
Step 376: 105375 + 281 = 105656
Step 377: 105656 + 281 = 105937
Step 378: 105937 + 281 = 106218
Step 379: 106218 + 281 = 106499
Step 380: 106499 + 281 = 106780
Step 381: 106780 + 281 = 107061
Step 382: 107061 + 281 = 107342
Step 383: 107342 + 281 = 107623
Step 384: 107623 + 281 = 107904
Step 385: 107904 + 281 = 108185
Step 386: 108185 + 281 = 108466
Step 387: 108466 + 281 = 108747
Step 388: 108747 + 281 = 109028
Step 389: 109028 + 281 = 109309
Step 390: 109309 + 281 = 109590
Step 391: 109590 + 281 = 109871
Step 392: 109871 + 281 = 110152
Step 393: 110152 + 281 = 110433
Step 394: 110433 + 281 = 110714
Step 395: 110714 + 281 = 110995
Step 396: 110995 + 281 = 111276
Step 397: 111276 + 281 = 111557
Step 398: 111557 + 281 = 111838
Step 399: 111838 + 281 = 112119
Step 400: 112119 + 281 = 112400
Step 401: 112400 + 281 = 112681
Step 402: 112681 + 281 = 112962
Step 403: 112962 + 281 = 113243
Step 404: 113243 + 281 = 113524
Step 405: 113524 + 281 = 113805
Step 406: 113805 + 281 = 114086
Step 407: 114086 + 281 = 114367
Step 408: 114367 + 281 = 114648
Step 409: 114648 + 281 = 114929
Step 410: 114929 + 281 = 115210
Step 411: 115210 + 281 = 115491
Step 412: 115491 + 281 = 115772
Step 413: 115772 + 281 = 116053
Step 414: 116053 + 281 = 116334
Step 415: 116334 + 281 = 116615
Step 416: 116615 + 281 = 116896
Step 417: 116896 + 281 = 117177
Step 418: 117177 + 281 = 117458
Step 419: 117458 + 281 = 117739
Step 420: 117739 + 281 = 118020
Step 421: 118020 + 281 = 118301
Step 422: 118301 + 281 = 118582
Step 423: 118582 + 281 = 118863
Step 424: 118863 + 281 = 119144
Step 425: 119144 + 281 = 119425
Step 426: 119425 + 281 = 119706
Step 427: 119706 + 281 = 119987
Step 428: 119987 + 281 = 120268
Step 429: 120268 + 281 = 120549
Step 430: 120549 + 281 = 120830
Step 431: 120830 + 281 = 121111
Step 432: 121111 + 281 = 121392
Step 433: 121392 + 281 = 121673
Step 434: 121673 + 281 = 121954
Step 435: 121954 + 281 = 122235
Step 436: 122235 + 281 = 122516
Step 437: 122516 + 281 = 122797
Step 438: 122797 + 281 = 123078
Step 439: 123078 + 281 = 123359
Step 440: 123359 + 281 = 123640
Step 441: 123640 + 281 = 123921
Step 442: 123921 + 281 = 124202
Step 443: 124202 + 281 = 124483
Step 444: 124483 + 281 = 124764
Step 445: 124764 + 281 = 125045
Step 446: 125045 + 281 = 125326
Step 447: 125326 + 281 = 125607
Step 448: 125607 + 281 = 125888
Step 449: 125888 + 281 = 126169
Step 450: 126169 + 281 = 126450
Step 451: 126450 + 281 = 126731
Step 452: 126731 + 281 = 127012
Step 453: 127012 + 281 = 127293
Step 454: 127293 + 281 = 127574
Step 455: 127574 + 281 = 127855
Step 456: 127855 + 281 = 128136
Step 457: 128136 + 281 = 128417
Step 458: 128417 + 281 = 128698
Step 459: 128698 + 281 = 128979
Step 460: 128979 + 281 = 129260
Step 461: 129260 + 281 = 129541
Step 462: 129541 + 281 = 129822
Step 463: 129822 + 281 = 130103
Step 464: 130103 + 281 = 130384
Step 465: 130384 + 281 = 130665
Step 466: 130665 + 281 = 130946
Step 467: 130946 + 281 = 131227
Step 468: 131227 + 281 = 131508
Step 469: 131508 + 281 = 131789
Step 470: 131789 + 281 = 132070
Step 471: 132070 + 281 = 132351
Step 472: 132351 + 281 = 132632
Step 473: 132632 + 281 = 132913
Step 474: 132913 + 281 = 133194
Step 475: 133194 + 281 = 133475
Step 476: 133475 + 281 = 133756
Step 477: 133756 + 281 = 134037
Step 478: 134037 + 281 = 134318
Step 479: 134318 + 281 = 134599
Step 480: 134599 + 281 = 134880
Step 481: 134880 + 281 = 135161
Step 482: 135161 + 281 = 135442
Step 483: 135442 + 281 = 135723
Step 484: 135723 + 281 = 136004
Step 485: 136004 + 281 = 136285
Step 486: 136285 + 281 = 136566
Step 487: 136566 + 281 = 136847
Step 488: 136847 + 281 = 137128
Step 489: 137128 + 281 = 137409

So, 281*489 = 137409