Which statement best defines a plain text file?

Which statement best defines a plain text file?

• A. A text document with no indents, paragraphs, or spacing
• B. A binary file containing formatting
• C. A document with embedded images
• D. A spreadsheet with formulas

Answer: (A)

Plain text files store only characters without any formatting instructions. There is no styling, no embedded images or other binary data, and no formulas or layout metadata—it's just the sequence of characters as they appear. That’s why describing it as a text document with no formatting captures the essence: there’s no formatting to be interpreted by software, only the characters themselves. The other options describe files that include more than plain text: a binary file containing formatting suggests hidden formatting codes or non-text data; a document with embedded images includes image data inside the file; a spreadsheet with formulas contains structured data and calculations, not plain text.

Plain text files store only characters without any formatting instructions. There is no styling, no embedded images or other binary data, and no formulas or layout metadata—it's just the sequence of characters as they appear. That’s why describing it as a text document with no formatting captures the essence: there’s no formatting to be interpreted by software, only the characters themselves.

The other options describe files that include more than plain text: a binary file containing formatting suggests hidden formatting codes or non-text data; a document with embedded images includes image data inside the file; a spreadsheet with formulas contains structured data and calculations, not plain text.