What is the last step to creating a budget

When conducting research for forming a hypothesis, which practice should historians follow?

This was the selling of large tracts of georgia land along a river in present-day mississippi from 1795 to 1803 at extremely low prices by georgia governors and the state legislature.

When using the scientific method, what should be the first step? a.) gathering information on the problem. b.) stating the problem. c.) analyzing and interpreting data.