1. The problem is to multiply 15.63 by 14.21 using the vertical method. 2. Write the numbers vertically aligning the decimal points: 15.63 x 14.21 ------- 3. Ignore the decimals and multiply as if they were whole numbers: 1563 x 1421. 4. Multiply 1563 by each digit of 1421 starting from the right: 1563 x 1 = 1563 1563 x 2 = 3126 (shift one position to the left) 1563 x 4 = 6252 (shift two positions to the left) 1563 x 1 = 1563 (shift three positions to the left) 5. Write these partial products aligned: 1563 31260 625200 1563000 6. Add all partial products: 1563 +31260 +625200 +1563000 -------- 2219823 7. Count total decimal places in the factors: 15.63 has 2 decimal places, 14.21 has 2 decimal places, total 4. 8. Place the decimal point in the result 4 places from the right: 221.9823 9. Final answer: $15.63 \times 14.21 = 221.9823$