OK, let's crack this. We're given 279 and our task is to multiply it by 74. Essentially, we'll be adding 279 to itself 74 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

So, 279*74 = 20646