1. **State the problem:** Simplify the expression $2 \times 3$. 2. **Formula and rules:** Multiplication is one of the basic arithmetic operations where you add a number to itself a certain number of times. Here, $2 \times 3$ means adding 2 three times or 3 two times. 3. **Intermediate work:** $$2 \times 3 = 2 + 2 + 2 = 6$$ 4. **Explanation:** Multiplying 2 by 3 means you have three groups of 2, which totals 6. 5. **Final answer:** $$2 \times 3 = 6$$