Which of the following is a common programming paradigm?

The correct choice is procedural programming, which is a widely recognized programming paradigm. This paradigm emphasizes a systematic approach to programming by breaking down tasks into a series of procedures or functions. Each procedure contains a sequence of statements that perform a specific task, and these procedures can call each other, allowing for code reuse and better organization. This approach aligns with concepts such as modularity and logical flow control, making it easier to manage large codebases.

While functional programming is also a recognized paradigm that focuses on the use of functions and immutable data, procedural programming is often viewed as more foundational, particularly in many traditional programming languages like C, Pascal, and Fortran. It allows for control structures such as loops and conditionals that are central to many programming tasks.

The other options are not established paradigms in the same sense. Static programming lacks recognition in the programming community as a distinct paradigm, as it often refers to concepts related to the state of programs rather than a way of structuring code. Documented programming is not a widely accepted term and does not define a programming style or methodology. Therefore, procedural programming is the most appropriate answer as it is a foundational paradigm recognized across various programming languages and contexts.