The area \( A \) of a circle can be calculated using the formula:
\[ A = \pi r^2 \]
where \( r \) is the radius of the circle. Given that the radius \( r \) is 5 inches, we can substitute this value into the formula:
\[ A = \pi (5)^2 = \pi \times 25 \]
Now, using the approximate value of \( \pi \) as 3.14:
\[ A \approx 3.14 \times 25 = 78.5 \]
Rounding this to the nearest whole number gives:
\[ A \approx 79 \]
Therefore, the area of the circle is approximately 79 square inches.