What is meta data typically used to represent?

Meta data is essentially "data about data." It provides information that helps describe, explain, or give context to other data. This can include details such as the format of the data, its characteristics, or how it should be interpreted. For instance, in a database, meta data might describe the data types of each field, the relationships between tables, or constraints on the data. This allows users and systems to better understand and utilize the underlying data effectively.

In contrast, the other options lack the specific focus that meta data embodies; storing data structures pertains more to the physical design of data storage rather than its descriptive aspects, data used for calculations refers to operational data rather than meta data, and data that holds user settings focuses on user preferences and configurations rather than the descriptors of data themselves.