1. **State the problem:** Calculate the product of 8 and 9. 2. **Formula used:** Multiplication of two numbers $a$ and $b$ is given by $a \times b$. 3. **Apply the formula:** Here, $a=8$ and $b=9$, so we calculate $8 \times 9$. 4. **Intermediate work:** Multiply 8 by 9: $$8 \times 9 = 72$$ 5. **Final answer:** The product of 8 and 9 is 72.