Final answer:
Variables are used to store data temporarily, while functions perform specific tasks in a program. Some common applications include mathematical operations, data manipulation, and user interactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
In computer programming, variables are used to store data temporarily, while functions perform specific tasks. Variables can hold different types of data such as numbers, strings, and booleans. For example, a variable named 'age' can hold a person's age, and a function named 'calculateArea' can calculate the area of a shape.
Some common applications for variables and functions in computer programming include:
- Mathematical operations: Variables can hold numbers that are used in calculations, and functions can perform mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
- Data manipulation: Variables can store data from inputs or databases, and functions can manipulate that data by performing tasks like sorting, filtering, and transforming.
- User interactions: Variables can hold user input, and functions can process that input and perform actions based on it, such as displaying messages or updating the user interface.