Hi and welcome to the forum:
I would recommend (given you are new to the camera), if you have not done so, you download the User Manual and keep it on your phone as a PDF - I do that with all new cameras. Here is a link to the manual:
pssx740hs-cu2-en.pdf (c-wss.com)
As to whether to charge it or not - if you used the camera a lot then clearly the battery will needs charging. Personally, I charge my batteries after each use so that I know that when I want the camera, it is fully-charged. It is also a good idea to get at least one spare battery. If the battery has at least some charge, then it may be some other issue. Beware of taking a camera to an environment like the beach - salt water, salt air and sand can play havoc with a camera that is not fully protected, and the SX740HS is not.
cheers, TREVOR
The mark of good photographer is less what they hold in their hand, it's more what they hold in their head;
"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow", Leo Tolstoy;
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy W. Harris
