To solve the area of this composite shape, let’s break it into two parts:

1. The rectangle at the bottom:

   • Width = 8 m
   • Height = 4 m
     Area of rectangle = $8 \times 4 = 32 \, \text{m}^2$

2. The triangle at the top:

   • Base = 8 m (same as the width of the rectangle)
   • Height = 3 m
     Area of triangle = $\frac{1}{2} \times 8 \times 3 = 12 \, \text{m}^2$

Total area of the shape:

$32 \, \text{m}^2 + 12 \, \text{m}^2 = 44 \, \text{m}^2$

So, the total area is 44 m².

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are five related questions to expand on this topic:

1. How do you find the perimeter of this shape?
2. How would the area change if the triangle's height was doubled?
3. What is the formula for the area of other polygons, like trapeziums or parallelograms?
4. How can you divide irregular shapes into simpler parts to calculate their area?
5. What are some real-world applications of calculating areas of composite shapes?

Tip: When working with composite shapes, always identify basic shapes like rectangles, triangles, or circles within them to simplify calculations.