How is breaking apart the problem 16x34 like solving four simpler problems?

Since we know that 2*2*2*2=16 and 2*17=34, we can write it out as 2*2*2*2*2*17. Since 2*2=4, we can rewrite it as 4*4*2*17=16*2*17=32*17. To get this, we can separate 17 into (10+7) and using the distributive property we get 32(10+7)=32*10+32*7=320+224=544.

The four problems can be written as 16*2*17, then 32*17, then 32*(10+7), then 320+224

The answer should be c.