Final answer:
To calculate the area of a circle, use the formula A = πr². For a circle with a 42-inch radius using 3.14 for pi, the area is approximately 5544 in².
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the area of a circle with a specified radius. To find the area of a circle, we use the formula A = πr², where A is the area, π (pi) is approximately 3.14, and r is the radius of the circle. In this case, the radius given is 42 inches. Plugging the values into the formula, we get A = 3.14 × (42 inches)².
Calculating the area, A = 3.14 × (42 inches) × (42 inches) which equals 3.14 × 1764 in² = 5541.76 in². Rounding to the nearest whole number gives us an area of approximately 5544 in², which corresponds to option a. 5544 in². It is important to note that when using significant figures, the precision of the final answer should reflect the precision of the given values. However, since the options are provided in whole numbers, we will choose the closest whole number answer after the calculation.