Multiplying algebraics is trivial. A rectangle with sides sqrt(3) and sqrt(2) has area sqrt(6), which can be approximated by a decimal if needed. There are cou

Multiplying algebraics is trivial. A rectangle with sides sqrt(3) and sqrt(2) has area sqrt(6), which can be approximated by a decimal if needed. There are countable/computable/constructable subsets of the reals where multiplication has a finite algorithm and is it repeated addition. One example is the algebraics, as well as extensions the including a few special constants like pi. These are the subsets of the reals most commonly used for math and science. So in a wide range of problems areas, multiplication is not just repeated addition.