Multiplication of Cassette Ratios
As others have already noted, the figure to which you refer pertains to the drivetrain's range, not to the lowest gear. The mechanical advantage that allows you to climb hills easily (small chainring driving your largest cassette's sprocket, say 22x36 in your example) is customarily expressed in gear-inches, a rather meaningless measure -- it indicates the equivalent diameter of a wheel that would be geared 1/1, but a standard nonetheless. 16 gear-inches would be considered small. Your example yields 15.9 gear-inches.

An excellent gear calculator can be found here. Play with it and all should become clear.