Certain tools are better for doing certain tasks. In this scenario, an instructor wants their class to develop a program that sorts data. What productivity tool should the students use?

A. an integrated development environment
B. word processing software
C. graphic design software
D. database software

A. an integrated development environment

An integrated development environment (IDE) is specifically designed for writing and testing code, making it the ideal productivity tool for developing a program that sorts data. It provides features such as code editing, debugging, and compiling, which are essential for programming tasks. Word processing, graphic design, and database software are not ideal tools for this particular task.