1. **State the problem:** We need to find the area of a circle with radius $r = 21$ ft. 2. **Formula:** The area $A$ of a circle is given by the formula: $$A = \pi r^2$$ where $r$ is the radius. 3. **Substitute the radius:** $$A = \pi \times 21^2$$ 4. **Calculate the square of the radius:** $$21^2 = 441$$ 5. **Calculate the area:** $$A = \pi \times 441$$ 6. **Use the approximate value of $\pi \approx 3.1416$:** $$A \approx 3.1416 \times 441 = 1384.74$$ 7. **Final answer:** The area of the circle is approximately **1384.74 ft^2**.