Final answer:
The area of the blue portion is 10 square inches.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the area of the blue portion of the irregular shape, we need to break it down into simpler shapes. In this case, we can see that the blue portion can be divided into a rectangle and a triangle. The rectangle has a base of 3.5 inches and a height of 2.5 inches, giving it an area of 8.75 square inches. The triangle has a base of 1 inch and a height of 2.5 inches, giving it an area of 1.25 square inches. Adding the areas of the rectangle and triangle, we get a total area of 10 square inches.