1. **Find the area of the triangle with base 11.8 in and height 9.8 in.** The formula for the area of a triangle is: $$A = \frac{1}{2} \times b \times h$$ where $b$ is the base and $h$ is the height. 2. Substitute the given values: $$A = \frac{1}{2} \times 11.8 \times 9.8$$ 3. Calculate the product inside the parentheses: $$11.8 \times 9.8 = 115.64$$ 4. Now calculate half of 115.64: $$A = \frac{1}{2} \times 115.64 = \frac{\cancel{1}}{\cancel{2}} \times 115.64 = 57.82$$ 5. Therefore, the area of the triangle is: $$\boxed{57.82 \text{ in}^2}$$