1. **State the problem:** Find the area of a parallelogram with base length $2.6$ inches and height $2$ inches. 2. **Formula:** The area $A$ of a parallelogram is given by the formula: $$A = \text{base} \times \text{height}$$ where the height is perpendicular to the base. 3. **Substitute the values:** $$A = 2.6 \times 2$$ 4. **Calculate the product:** $$A = 5.2$$ 5. **Interpretation:** The area of the parallelogram is $5.2$ square inches. 6. **Rounding:** The value $5.2$ is already rounded to the nearest tenth. **Final answer:** The area of the parallelogram is **5.2 in.²**.