Final answer:
A data structure organizes a set of related data elements for efficient processing and access. Common examples include arrays, lists, frequency tables, and histograms. Data structures are fundamental in computing and data organization.
Step-by-step explanation:
A data structure is a data organization, management, and storage format that enables efficient access and modification. In the context of the given question, a data structure that contains a set of related data elements stored and processed together is known as an array, a list, or more generally a collection. Whether in a computer system that can store and perform calculations on large data sets or within memory compared to how a computer processes information, data structures are integral to organizing and handling data effectively. For example, a frequency table is a data structure that pairs grouped data with their frequencies, and a histogram visually represents this data along with frequencies as contiguous rectangles on a graph.
Understanding data structures is vital for organizing and making sense of information, such as a large amount of experimental results in scientific investigations or ballots from an election organized together. In computing, this knowledge is essential for creating efficient algorithms that manipulate complex data sets.