Question

What should be the first step in finding the number of square inches in the shaded region of the following figure?

Answer 1

Number of square inches in the shaded region means area of the shaded region
so
fist, Convert measurements to common units.
second, Find the area of the rectangle.
then area of shaded region = Subtract the area of the triangle from the area of the rectangle

answer
1. Convert measurements to common units. 
2. Find the area of the rectangle.
3. Subtract the area of the triangle from the area of the rectangle.

Answer 2

the answer is: Convert measurements to common units.