Which SQL command uses the correct syntax to select the name and salary columns from the Employee table where the salary is greater than 50000, and sort the results by salary in descending order?

The correct answer is the one that accurately employs the standard SQL syntax for selecting data from a table, applying a condition, and ordering the results. In this scenario, the SQL command must start with the SELECT statement, which specifies the columns to retrieve, in this case, name and salary.

The FROM clause identifies the table from which to select the data, which is Employee. The WHERE clause is essential for filtering the results based on a specific criterion — here, it is used to ensure only those rows with a salary greater than 50,000 are included. Finally, the ORDER BY clause is used to arrange the results in a specified order; in this instance, DESC indicates that the results should be sorted in descending order based on the salary.

In option A, the syntax is correctly followed with SELECT name, salary FROM Employee WHERE salary > 50000 ORDER BY salary DESC;, meaning the command will successfully return the desired output.

Selecting a command that does not adhere to this structure would impede understanding or execution. For example, using incorrect keywords or commands, as seen in the other options, would lead to syntax errors or undesired outputs. The correct arrangement and choice