The accounting cycle starts with a. closing out the periodic accounts. b. recording the transaction based on the information in a source document. c. preparing the financial statements. d. preparing the adjusting entries.

letter b, recording the transaction based on the information in a source document

Explanation:

The "Accounting Cycle" follows a series of steps in order to assist the accounting transactions of a company or business. It starts with the "Transaction step" (the first step) where the source documents have to be examined in order to analyzed transactions. This also includes the recording of the transaction in the journal.

This step is followed by Posting the Entries into the Ledger Accounts, Preparing the Unadjusted Trial Balance, Adjusting the Journal Entries, Preparing the Adjusted Trial Balance, Recording Reversing Entries, Preparing Post-Closing Trial Balance, Record Closing of Entries and Preparing Financial Statements.