Final answer:
Joins in database queries are used to combine data from multiple tables and are applicable in the scenario where there's a need to merge patient information using a common field between tables.
Step-by-step explanation:
To address the scenario involving patient information, where the table contains Patient ID and Patient Name fields, joins are necessary in scenario 1 when you want to combine data from multiple tables based on a common field. This is because joins allow you to merge rows from two or more tables by having a common identifier in both tables. Sorting data (scenario 2), filtering data based on a condition (scenario 3), or calculating an average of a numeric field (scenario 4) typically do not require the use of joins. These tasks can be performed on a single table without the need to combine data from additional sources.