What is the purpose of using styles in document formatting?

The purpose of using styles in document formatting is to provide a consistent formatting scheme for headings and paragraphs. Styles allow a user to apply a set of predefined formatting attributes—such as font size, color, spacing, and alignment—to specific elements within a document. This ensures that there is uniformity in presentation across different sections, making the document easier to read and navigate.

By using styles, you can quickly update the formatting of all instances of a particular style with a single change. For instance, if you decide to change the font size of all headings in a document, you can modify the style associated with those headings, and the change will be applied universally throughout the document. This not only saves time but also enhances the professional appearance of the document, as it eliminates variations that may occur if one were to format headings and paragraphs individually without a consistent approach.

In contrast to this, changing the layout drastically, applying random font changes, or using styles primarily for image formatting does not align with the fundamental objective of styles, which is to ensure consistency and coherence in text presentation.