Which data type would be most appropriate to store the whole number 42?

• A. Real/Float
• B. Integer
• C. Boolean
• D. String

Answer: (B)

Choosing the right data type depends on the nature of the value you need to store. A whole number like 42 has no fractional part, so it fits an integer type, which is designed for whole numbers and supports arithmetic without decimal places. A real or float type is used for numbers with decimals, such as 42.5, and isn’t required to be integral. A boolean stores true or false, not numeric values. A string stores a sequence of characters, such as '42' as text, which isn’t suitable for numeric calculations without conversion. Therefore, the most appropriate type for storing the whole number 42 is integer. This keeps the data semantically accurate and allows efficient numeric operations.