What is the primary purpose of metadata?

The primary purpose of metadata is to provide context about the file. Metadata includes important information such as the creation date, author, file type, size, and other details that help to describe and identify the file. This contextual information is essential for organizing, managing, and retrieving files more efficiently. It allows users and software applications to understand the characteristics and origin of the data without having to open or examine the actual file content.

The other options relate to different functions: while storing actual file content pertains specifically to the data that makes up the file itself, enhancing data processing speed and decreasing file size involve technical aspects of data storage and transmission that are not the primary focus of metadata.