The shape in the image can be broken into two distinct parts for calculation:

1. A rectangle with dimensions 15 m (length) and 8 m (width).
2. A triangular section with a base of $23 - 15 = 8 \, \text{m}$ and height $8 \, \text{m}$.

Step 1: Calculate the area of the rectangle

The formula for the area of a rectangle is: $\text{Area of rectangle} = \text{length} \times \text{width}$ $\text{Area of rectangle} = 15 \, \text{m} \times 8 \, \text{m} = 120 \, \text{m}^2$

Step 2: Calculate the area of the triangle

The formula for the area of a triangle is: $\text{Area of triangle} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{base} \times \text{height}$ $\text{Area of triangle} = \frac{1}{2} \times 8 \, \text{m} \times 8 \, \text{m} = 32 \, \text{m}^2$

Step 3: Total area of the shape

The total area is the sum of the rectangle's area and the triangle's area: $\text{Total area} = \text{Area of rectangle} + \text{Area of triangle}$ $\text{Total area} = 120 \, \text{m}^2 + 32 \, \text{m}^2 = 152 \, \text{m}^2$

Final Answer:

The total area of the shape is: $\boxed{152 \, \text{m}^2}$

Would you like further clarification or additional related calculations?

Here are 5 related questions for further exploration:

1. What is the perimeter of the entire shape?
2. How would the area change if the height of the triangle increased by 2 meters?
3. Can this composite shape be represented by another geometric figure?
4. What is the ratio of the rectangle's area to the triangle's area?
5. How would you calculate the shape's area if the triangle was scalene?

Tip: When solving composite shape problems, always break them into simpler parts and calculate areas individually.