What is the primary focus of "merchandising math"?

The primary focus of merchandising math is on analyzing sales, inventory, and profitability. This area of mathematics is essential for fashion merchants as it helps them make informed decisions about pricing, purchasing, and stock levels. By utilizing various mathematical formulas and calculations, professionals can assess sales performance, track inventory turnover rates, and determine profit margins. This analysis enables merchants to optimize their inventory to meet consumer demand while also ensuring financial health for the business.

The other options do not align as closely with the core functions of merchandising math. While understanding overall market trends, consumer preferences, and shop floor operations is important in the broader context of merchandising, they are not the primary focus of the mathematical aspect, which is rooted in evaluating numeric data related to sales and profitability.