An equiangular octagon has four sides of length $1$ and four sides of length $\frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}$, arranged so that no two consecutive sides have the same length. What is the area of the octagon?
The octagon can be partitioned into five squares and four half squares, each with side length $\sqrt{2}/2$, so its area is \[
\displaystyle\left(5+4 \cdot \frac{1}{2}\right)\left(\frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}\displaystyle\right)^{2}= \boxed{\frac{7}{2}}.
\][asy]
unitsize(2cm);
for (int i=0; i<4; ++i) {
for (int j=0; j<4; ++j) {
draw((i,0)--(i,3),dashed);
draw((0,j)--(3,j),dashed);
};}
draw((1,0)--(2,0)--(3,1)--(3,2)--(2,3)--(1,3)--(0,2)--(0,1)--cycle,linewidth(0.7));
for (int i=0; i<2; ++i) {
label("1",(0.5+2i,2.5),S);
label("1",(0.5+2i,0.5),N);}
label("$\frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}$",(0,1.5),E);
label("$\frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}$",(3,1.5),W);
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