Answer: C. Review the business questions to understand the scope.

The first step an analyst should perform upon receiving a business request for analysis is to review the business questions to understand the scope of the problem, the objectives, and the expected outcomes. This will help the analyst to define the analytical approach, identify the data needs and sources, and plan the analysis process.Reviewing the business questions will also help the analyst to communicate with the stakeholders and clarify any assumptions or ambiguities1.

Option A is incorrect, as determining the data needs and sources for analysis is not the first step, but rather a subsequent step that depends on the business questions and the analytical approach.

Option B is incorrect, as initiating the analysis for exploratory data analysis is not the first step, but rather a part of the analysis process that involves examining and summarizing the data, identifying patterns and outliers, and testing hypotheses.

Option D is incorrect, as finalizing the methodology to solve the problem is not the first step, but rather a later step that involves selecting and applying the appropriate analytical techniques, tools, and models to answer the business questions.