Which of the following is a common sorting algorithm?

Quick sort is a common sorting algorithm that is widely used due to its efficient performance in organizing a list or array of elements in a specific order, typically in ascending or descending numerical value or lexicographical order. The algorithm follows a divide-and-conquer strategy, where it selects a 'pivot' element from the array and partitions other elements into two sub-arrays according to whether they are less than or greater than the pivot. The process is recursively applied to the sub-arrays, leading to an overall sorted array.

The significance of quick sort lies in its average-case time complexity, which is O(n log n), making it efficient for a variety of data sets in practical applications. Its performance can vary, however, depending on the choice of the pivot and the nature of the input data, with the worst-case performance being O(n²) typically mitigated by techniques such as randomization or choosing median pivot values.

The other options provided do not pertain to sorting algorithms. Binary search is a search algorithm that finds the position of a target value within a sorted array, not a sorting methodology. Data abstraction is a programming principle that provides a simplified model of complex functionality, and variable assignment refers to the process of storing a value in a specific variable for