1. **State the problem:** Find the area of the U-shaped composite figure made up of rectangles with given side lengths. 2. **Understand the shape:** The figure is a U-shape composed of three rectangles: two vertical rectangles on the sides and one horizontal rectangle at the bottom connecting them. 3. **Given dimensions:** - Top left horizontal side = 4 - Top right horizontal side = 4 - Inner left vertical side = 5 - Inner bottom horizontal side = 4 - Inner right vertical side = 5 - Outer left vertical side = 11 - Outer right vertical side = 11 4. **Calculate the height of the bottom rectangle:** The total height of the figure is 11, and the inner vertical sides are 5, so the height of the bottom rectangle is: $$11 - 5 = 6$$ 5. **Calculate the widths of the vertical rectangles:** The top horizontal sides are 4 each, so the total width of the figure is: $$4 + 4 + 4 = 12$$ 6. **Calculate the area of each rectangle:** - Left vertical rectangle area: height 11, width 4 $$Area = 11 \times 4 = 44$$ - Right vertical rectangle area: height 11, width 4 $$Area = 11 \times 4 = 44$$ - Bottom horizontal rectangle area: height 6, width 4 $$Area = 6 \times 4 = 24$$ 7. **Sum the areas:** $$44 + 44 + 24 = 112$$ **Final answer:** $$\boxed{112}$$ square units