What does the acronym FORTRAN stand for?

The acronym FORTRAN stands for "FORmula TRANslation." This programming language was developed in the 1950s and is particularly well-suited for numeric computation and scientific computing. The name reflects its primary purpose, which was to allow for the easy translation of mathematical formulas into a format that the computer could use. This focus on processing mathematical equations has made FORTRAN a long-standing tool in fields such as engineering and physics, as it facilitates the writing of programs that can efficiently handle complex computations. The use of terms like "formula" and "translation" directly highlights the language's design goals of simplifying the programming process for users accustomed to mathematical notation. Other options, while they may contain relevant terms, do not accurately reflect the historical and functional significance of the FORTRAN language.