1. **State the problem:** We need to find the area of a parallelogram with a base of 9 cm and a height of 5 cm. 2. **Formula for the area of a parallelogram:** $$\text{Area} = \text{base} \times \text{height}$$ 3. **Apply the values:** $$\text{Area} = 9 \times 5$$ 4. **Calculate the product:** $$\text{Area} = 45$$ 5. **Interpretation:** The area of the parallelogram is 45 square centimeters. This formula works because the height is the perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite side, ensuring the area calculation accounts for the true vertical height, not the slant side length.