A snail travels at a rate of 2.58 feet PER MINUTE. After 9 minutes, it will travel 2.58 * 9 feet.
2.58 * 9 = 23.22 feet.
The snail travels 23.22 feet in 9 minutes.
You can see that it travels 2.58 feet per minute. In the next minute, it will travel another 2.58 feet. And so on until the 9th minute passes. This is the same as:
2.58 + 2.58 + 2.58 + 2.58 + 2.58 + 2.58 + 2.58 + 2.58 + 2.58 = 9 * 2.58 = 23.22