1. **State the problem:** We need to find the area of a compound figure composed of two rectangles. 2. **Identify the dimensions:** - Bottom rectangle: width = 7 cm, height = 5 cm - Top rectangle: width = 5 cm, height = 4 cm 3. **Recall the formula for the area of a rectangle:** $$\text{Area} = \text{width} \times \text{height}$$ 4. **Calculate the area of the bottom rectangle:** $$7 \times 5 = 35 \text{ cm}^2$$ 5. **Calculate the area of the top rectangle:** $$5 \times 4 = 20 \text{ cm}^2$$ 6. **Add the areas of both rectangles to get the total area:** $$35 + 20 = 55 \text{ cm}^2$$ 7. **Conclusion:** The total area of the compound figure is **55 square centimeters**.