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How should you write the date April 29, 2020, to avoid sorting problems?

User Mslot
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Final answer:

To avoid sorting problems, write the date April 29, 2020, in the format 2020-04-29, which follows the ISO 8601 standard.

Step-by-step explanation:

To avoid sorting problems, especially in digital environments such as computer file systems, it is best to write dates in a format that lists the year first, followed by the month, and then the day. The most recommended format for this is YYYY-MM-DD. Therefore, the date April 29, 2020, should be written as 2020-04-29. This format aligns with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 8601 standard, which is widely recognized and used in computer systems to avoid ambiguities associated with date formats.

Consistency in using this date format can also be of great help in maintaining chronological order when sorting documents, creating timelines, or managing archives. Moreover, when listing a publication date, you would typically follow the format and give the day, month, and year; for example, April 29, 2020, without abbreviating the month. However, when sorting is a concern, stick to the YYYY-MM-DD format.

User Troll
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