What type of software application is designed to manage databases, answer queries, and generate reports?

The correct answer is RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) because it is specifically designed to create, manage, and manipulate relational databases. An RDBMS allows users to store data in structured tables that can then be queried using a standardized language such as SQL (Structured Query Language). This capability enables users to answer complex queries about the data efficiently and to generate various types of reports based on that data.

RDBMS software typically includes features such as data integrity, transaction management, and security measures to help safeguard the data it manages. This makes it a powerful tool for handling large volumes of structured data and performing robust data analysis.

Other options like data warehouses, spreadsheet programs, and data mining tools serve different purposes. A data warehouse focuses on the storage and management of large volumes of data from multiple sources for reporting and analysis, while a spreadsheet program is primarily used for individual data calculations and simple data organization, lacking the comprehensive database management capabilities of an RDBMS. Data mining tools are specialized for extracting patterns and insights from large datasets but do not manage the databases themselves. Therefore, RDBMS stands out as the best choice for managing databases, answering queries, and generating structured reports.