What does FORTRAN stand for in computing?

FORTRAN stands for "Formula Translator," which reflects its original purpose when it was developed in the 1950s. It was specifically designed to allow mathematicians and scientists to write programs to solve numerical computations using algebraic formulas. The name underscores its capability to translate mathematical formulas into machine code, making complex calculations more accessible for programmers who were primarily focused on mathematical equations rather than on low-level programming language syntax.

While other options present terms that may sound plausible in a computing context, they do not accurately describe the language or its foundational purpose. Understanding that FORTRAN was created to facilitate scientific calculations helps highlight its significance in the evolution of programming languages and its continued use in scientific computing today.