In calculating the area of a circle, what should be done first in the formula?

To calculate the area of a circle, the initial step in the formula involves squaring the radius. The area is determined by the formula ( A = \pi r^2 ), where ( r ) represents the radius. Squaring the radius means you take the length of the radius and multiply it by itself, which is a critical step before applying the value of π (pi).

Once the radius has been squared, it is then multiplied by π to arrive at the final area of the circle. This sequence is important because squaring the radius as the first action ensures that the subsequent multiplication by π yields the correct area measurement for the circle. The other options, such as adding the diameter or finding the circumference, are not necessary steps for calculating the area in this context and would not lead to the correct application of the formula for the area of a circle.