The composite shape in the image has an area of 40 square inches. What is the area of the rectangle within the composite shape

3 left side bottom
4 right side
3 right side top

To find the area of the rectangle within the composite shape, we need to subtract the area of the two right triangles from the total area of the composite shape.

Total area = 40 square inches
Area of right triangle at the bottom: (1/2) x 3 x 3 = 4.5 square inches
Area of right triangle at the top: (1/2) x 3 x 3 = 4.5 square inches
Area of both right triangles: 4.5 + 4.5 = 9 square inches

Area of rectangle within the composite shape = Total area - Area of right triangles
Area of rectangle = 40 - 9
Area of rectangle = 31 square inches

Therefore, the area of the rectangle within the composite shape is 31 square inches.