Which software application is used to locate and display web pages?

The correct answer is the browser, as this software application is specifically designed to locate, retrieve, and display web pages on the internet. Browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari allow users to enter web addresses (URLs) and navigate to different websites. This functionality includes interpreting HTML and rendering multimedia content, enabling users to interact with various online services effectively.

The other software applications mentioned serve fundamentally different purposes. An editor is used for writing and editing text, often associated with coding or word processing but not for retrieving web content. A compiler translates programming code into machine language for execution, which is entirely unrelated to accessing web pages. A spreadsheet application, like Microsoft Excel, is used for organizing, calculating, and analyzing data in tabular form, not for browsing the internet. Each of these tools has its unique applications, making the browser the definitive choice for locating and displaying web pages.