When you run a valid SQL SELECT statement, what logical structure does the database return to the client (independent of how it is displayed by tools)?

Introduction / Context:
SQL queries are declarative: you specify what data you want, and the DBMS returns a structured set of rows and columns. Understanding the nature of that result clarifies how to process it in applications and BI tools.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A SELECT statement executes successfully.
• The database returns data to a client or tool.
• Presentation layers may format the data for human consumption.

Concept / Approach:
The result of a SELECT is a relation (a table-like structure): a set or multiset of rows, each with the same columns. While GUIs might render reports, grids, or charts, the underlying logical form is a table. Files, forms, or diagrams are external representations, not the SQL result itself.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
APIs such as JDBC, ODBC, and ADO.NET expose the result as row/column data sets, reinforcing the table concept.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Report/form: Presentation artifacts created by separate tools.
• File: A storage container; SQL results can be exported to files but are not files by definition.
• Diagram: A visualization, not a data structure returned by SQL.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing what the client tool shows with the underlying data structure. The result is always tabular even if later pivoted or charted.

Final Answer:
table