1. The area of the larger rectangle (assuming the desk was not L-shaped):
![\( 8 \text{ ft} * 6 \text{ ft} = 48 \text{ square ft} \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/gaga7coljwn3k4091l77t0268revbaudrk.png)
2. The area of the smaller cut-out rectangle:
![\( 3 \text{ ft} * 2 \text{ ft} = 6 \text{ square ft} \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/yjx7m36xv99kszi6ipr2shtzcz716c6hli.png)
3. The total area of the L-shaped desk:
![\( 48 \text{ square ft} - 6 \text{ square ft} = 42 \text{ square ft} \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/x0krs6i161k0tvqotgbwya81d5ubzr1bjf.png)
The image shows a diagram of an L-shaped desk with various lengths marked. To calculate the area of such a shape, we typically break it down into simpler shapes, calculate the area of each, and then sum those areas. The L-shape can be seen as a large rectangle minus a smaller rectangle that's been cut out.
The dimensions given are for an L-shaped desk. The overall length from left to right is 8 feet, the total height is 6 feet, the bottom left corner has a width of 5 feet, and the top right corner has a height of 2 feet. To find the area of the desk, we need to subtract the area of the smaller rectangle (the missing part) from the larger rectangle (the full size if the desk wasn't L-shaped).
Step-by-Step Calculation:
1. Calculate the area of the larger rectangle, which would be the area if the desk were not L-shaped:
![\( Area_(large) = length * width = 8 \text{ ft} * 6 \text{ ft} \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/g1tu4ng7nhskmc073qfsb6o26h7plwernq.png)
2. Calculate the area of the smaller cut-out rectangle:
![\( Area_(small) = length * width \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/tfaq6ot81ijus0q26k7yx118f596rnqjo0.png)
For the length, we subtract the length of the remaining bottom part from the total length:
![\( 8 \text{ ft} - 5 \text{ ft} = 3 \text{ ft} \).](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/sbawr4tieakvef0t0ft2b16cdsanpmbpis.png)
The width is given as the height of the upper right part of the L-shape:
![\( 2 \text{ ft} \).](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/qyy15xql9jf85l7x2unje73i2pvvy791ip.png)
So,
![\( Area_(small) = 3 \text{ ft} * 2 \text{ ft} \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/ycrdkkacuqazgnb5xpkj5vpq6pf2siemlt.png)
3. Subtract the area of the smaller rectangle from the area of the larger rectangle to find the total area of the L-shaped desk:
![\( Area_(desk) = Area_(large) - Area_(small) \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/hku43yl52wyjvsktcw21muml5z93cq52ep.png)
Let's perform these calculations.
The total area of the L-shaped desk is 42 square feet. Here's how we calculated it:
1. The area of the larger rectangle (assuming the desk was not L-shaped):
![\( 8 \text{ ft} * 6 \text{ ft} = 48 \text{ square ft} \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/gaga7coljwn3k4091l77t0268revbaudrk.png)
2. The area of the smaller cut-out rectangle:
![\( 3 \text{ ft} * 2 \text{ ft} = 6 \text{ square ft} \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/yjx7m36xv99kszi6ipr2shtzcz716c6hli.png)
3. The total area of the L-shaped desk:
![\( 48 \text{ square ft} - 6 \text{ square ft} = 42 \text{ square ft} \)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/x0krs6i161k0tvqotgbwya81d5ubzr1bjf.png)