1. **State the problem:** Find the area of a trapezoid with top base $7$, bottom base $15$, and height $8$. 2. **Formula for the area of a trapezoid:** $$\text{Area} = \frac{(\text{base}_1 + \text{base}_2)}{2} \times \text{height}$$ 3. **Substitute the given values:** $$\text{Area} = \frac{(7 + 15)}{2} \times 8$$ 4. **Simplify inside the parentheses:** $$\text{Area} = \frac{22}{2} \times 8$$ 5. **Simplify the fraction:** $$\text{Area} = 11 \times 8$$ 6. **Multiply to find the area:** $$\text{Area} = 88$$ **Final answer:** The area of the trapezoid is $88$.