Answer:
3a^2
Explanation:
one way of answering this question is by finding the area of the whole shape, including the non-shaded shape, then taking away the area of the non-shaded shape from the whole thing, leaving you the area of the shaded shape
Step-by-step
find the area of the whole shape
2a x 2a
= 4a^2 (or 4a to the power of 2)
Now that we have the area of the whole shape, we must find the area of the non-shaded shape and take it away from 4a^2, we do this by
a x a
= a^2 (or a to the power of 2)
now we minus the non-shaded shape away from the total area
4a^2 - a^2
= 3a^2 (or 3a to the power of 2)