The area of the figure formed by two congruent trapezoids is equal to the sum of the areas of the two trapezoids.
The formula for the area of a trapezoid is:
Area = (1/2) x (sum of the bases) x (height)
The height of each trapezoid is 3m. The bases of the first trapezoid are 9m and 8m, and the bases of the second trapezoid are also 9m and 8m.
So, the area of the first trapezoid is:
Area = (1/2) x (9m + 8m) x (3m) = 25.5 square meters
The area of the second trapezoid is also 25.5 square meters.
Therefore, the area of the figure formed by two congruent trapezoids is:
Area = 25.5 square meters + 25.5 square meters = 51 square meters
The area of the figure is 51 square meters.