1. **State the problem:** We are given the surface area of a sphere as 1018 cm² and need to find its radius to the nearest cm. 2. **Formula used:** The surface area $S$ of a sphere is given by: $$S = 4\pi r^2$$ where $r$ is the radius. 3. **Set up the equation:** Given $S = 1018$, substitute into the formula: $$1018 = 4\pi r^2$$ 4. **Solve for $r^2$:** Divide both sides by $4\pi$: $$\frac{1018}{4\pi} = r^2$$ Intermediate step showing cancellation: $$r^2 = \frac{1018}{\cancel{4\pi}} \times \frac{\cancel{1}}{1}$$ 5. **Calculate $r^2$ numerically:** Using $\pi \approx 3.1416$: $$r^2 = \frac{1018}{4 \times 3.1416} = \frac{1018}{12.5664} \approx 81.0$$ 6. **Find $r$ by taking the square root:** $$r = \sqrt{81.0} = 9.0$$ 7. **Answer:** The radius of the sphere is approximately **9 cm**.