Final answer:
In SAS, 'gators' from the FILENAME statement is the internal name or alias, known as a fileref, used to refer to a specific file within a SAS session.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'gators' in the FILENAME statement within SAS (Statistical Analysis System) denotes the internal name of the reference to the file. This is not the physical filename itself but an alias that SAS uses to refer to the file during a SAS session.
This alias can then be used in subsequent SAS statements to read from or write to the file. It is important to note that this alias, or fileref (file reference), must be assigned to an actual physical file location using the FILENAME statement before it can be used to access the file.
The 'gators' in the FILENAME statement denotes the internal name of the reference to the file. It is used in SAS programming to assign a name to a file that will be used in subsequent coding. The internal name serves as a reference to the file throughout the program, allowing for easy access and manipulation of the file's contents.
Therefore correct option is c. The internal name of the reference to the file.