Final Answer:
A computer needs data as an input and an algorithm to process it. Option A is the answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
In computing, data serves as the raw material that a computer processes to generate meaningful output. To make sense of this data, a computer requires an algorithm, denoted by option A. An algorithm is a step-by-step set of instructions or rules that guide the computer in performing a specific task or solving a particular problem. While applications (option B) are software programs designed for specific functions, an algorithm is the foundational logic that instructs the computer on how to manipulate and analyze the input data to produce the desired output. Therefore, option A, "algorithm," is the correct answer in this context.
Option A is the answer.