1. **State the problem:** We have a triangle with 3 sides, each 5 ft long, and we want to find its area in square feet. 2. **Identify the type of triangle:** Since all sides are equal (5 ft), this is an equilateral triangle. 3. **Formula for the area of an equilateral triangle:** $$\text{Area} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4} a^2$$ where $a$ is the length of a side. 4. **Substitute the side length:** $$\text{Area} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4} \times 5^2$$ 5. **Calculate the square of the side:** $$5^2 = 25$$ 6. **Plug in and simplify:** $$\text{Area} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4} \times 25 = \frac{25\sqrt{3}}{4}$$ 7. **Approximate the value:** Since $\sqrt{3} \approx 1.732$, $$\text{Area} \approx \frac{25 \times 1.732}{4} = \frac{43.3}{4} = 10.825$$ **Final answer:** The area of the equilateral triangle is approximately $10.825$ square feet.