What is the primary purpose of sorting data?

The primary purpose of sorting data is to arrange it into a meaningful order. Sorting enables users to organize data in a way that makes it easier to analyze, interpret, and derive insights from it. For example, sorting a list of customers by their purchase date can help identify trends in buying behavior, while arranging sales data by revenue can quickly highlight the best-performing products. This organization helps facilitate data retrieval and enhances the efficiency of data analysis processes.

In contrast, the other options do not represent the core function of sorting. Storing data in multiple locations pertains to data management practices rather than sorting, while copying data relates to data transfer rather than its arrangement. Changing data to make it more organized may involve several techniques including sorting, but it is a broader concept that includes other forms of manipulation as well. Thus, the focus of sorting is specifically on creating an order that adds value to the data analysis.