1. The problem is to find the product of $-7$ and $-9$. 2. The formula for multiplication is simply multiplying the two numbers: $a \times b$. 3. Important rule: Multiplying two negative numbers results in a positive number. 4. Calculate the product: $$-7 \times -9 = 63$$ 5. Explanation: Since both numbers are negative, their product is positive, so the answer is $63$.