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 the values:** $$A = 3.14 \times (0.5)^2$$ 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. **Perform the multiplication:** $$A = 0.785$$ 7. **Conclusion:** The area of the sand mandala is $0.785$ square meters. **Final answer:** $0.785$ m²