1. **State the problem:** We need to find the area of a sand mandala shaped like a circle with radius $r = 0.5$ meters. 2. **Formula:** The area $A$ of a circle is given by the formula: $$A = \pi r^2$$ where $\pi$ is approximately 3.14. 3. **Substitute values:** Plug in $r = 0.5$ and $\pi = 3.14$: $$A = 3.14 \times (0.5)^2$$ 4. **Calculate the square of the radius:** $$(0.5)^2 = 0.5 \times 0.5 = 0.25$$ 5. **Multiply by $\pi$:** $$A = 3.14 \times 0.25$$ 6. **Simplify multiplication:** $$A = 0.785$$ 7. **Answer:** The area of the sand mandala is approximately **0.785 m²**. This matches the first option given.