Final answer:
Writing SPARQL key words in upper case is a convention to enhance readability, is recommended in style guides, but is not mandatory for the processor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The practice of writing key words like PREFIX, SELECT, and WHERE in upper case in SPARQL and other programming languages is primarily a convention to enhance readability. While many programming languages, including SQL, are not case sensitive, the use of upper case for these keywords allows them to stand out from other text, such as variable names and literals, which makes the code easier to read and understand. This has become a widely accepted practice among developers and is recommended in many style guides, although it is not a mandatory requirement for the SPARQL processor to interpret the queries correctly.
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