What is a histogram used for in data analysis?

A histogram is primarily used to graphically represent the distribution of numerical data, making it an essential tool in data analysis. By displaying data in the form of bars where the height of each bar indicates the frequency or count of data points within specific intervals or bins, a histogram provides a clear visual representation of how values are distributed across a data set.

Using a histogram allows analysts to quickly identify patterns such as central tendencies, spread, and skewness in the data. For instance, one can easily see where values cluster and how many data points fall within each range, which is invaluable for understanding the underlying characteristics of the dataset being analyzed.

In contrast, the other options describe different uses or aspects of data handling that do not pertain to histograms. Predicting future trends requires different analytical tools, securely storing data pertains to database management, and summarizing categorical data is typically done through different visualizations like bar charts or pie charts, not histograms. Thus, the focus of the histogram on numerical data distribution makes it the correct choice for this question.