1. **State the problem:** Find the area of the irregular polygon composed of three rectangles stacked like steps, with all sides meeting at right angles. 2. **Identify the shapes and dimensions:** - Bottom rectangle: height = 4 in, width = 10 in (4 + 3 + 3) - Middle rectangle: height = 5 in, width = 3 in - Top rectangle: height = 4 in, width = 4 in 3. **Formula for area of a rectangle:** $$\text{Area} = \text{height} \times \text{width}$$ 4. **Calculate each rectangle's area:** - Bottom rectangle area: $$4 \times 10 = 40$$ in² - Middle rectangle area: $$5 \times 3 = 15$$ in² - Top rectangle area: $$4 \times 4 = 16$$ in² 5. **Sum the areas to find total area:** $$40 + 15 + 16 = 71$$ in² 6. **Conclusion:** The total area of the figure is **71 in²**.