To find the area of the circle, we can start with the information given about the circumference.
The formula for the circumference \( C \) of a circle is:
\[ C = 2\pi r \]
where \( r \) is the radius. We are given that the circumference is \( 22\pi \) inches. Setting up the equation, we have:
\[ 2\pi r = 22\pi \]
We can now divide both sides by \( 2\pi \):
\[ r = \frac{22\pi}{2\pi} = 11 \text{ inches} \]
Now that we have the radius, we can find the area \( A \) of the circle using the formula:
\[ A = \pi r^2 \]
Substituting \( r = 11 \) inches into the area formula:
\[ A = \pi (11)^2 = \pi \times 121 \]
Now we substitute \( \pi \) with \( 3.14 \):
\[ A = 3.14 \times 121 \]
Now we calculate the area:
\[ A = 3.14 \times 121 = 379.94 \]
Thus, the area of the circle, expressed to the hundredths place, is:
\[ \boxed{379.94} \text{ square inches} \]