What does selection sort do?

Selection sort is an algorithm that organizes a list by strategically selecting the smallest (or largest, depending on the order desired) remaining element from the unsorted portion of the list and moving it to the beginning of the sorted portion. The process is repeated until all elements have been sorted.

By focusing on repeatedly selecting the smallest remaining value, selection sort effectively narrows down the list while maintaining a clear separation between the sorted and unsorted sections. This characteristic highlights how the algorithm methodically builds a sorted list through a series of selections.

The other options, though related to sorting concepts, do not accurately describe the mechanics of selection sort. For instance, dividing the list pertains to algorithms like quicksort, whereas building the sorted list one item at a time is more descriptive of insertion sort. The idea of "bubbling up" refers to bubble sort's approach of comparing adjacent elements and swapping them, which is quite different from the selection process inherent to selection sort.