What Are Functions in Programming?

A function is a block of code that performs a specific task. Functions allow you to break up your code into smaller, more manageable pieces, and can help make your code more reusable.

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To create a function, you need to give it a name and define what it does. 

Here's an example of a function that adds two numbers together:

def add_numbers(x, y):

    sum = x + y

    return sum

In this case, we've defined a function called "add_numbers" that has two parameters, "x" and "y". 

The function adds these two numbers together and stores the result in a variable called "sum". Finally, the function returns the value of "sum" back to the calling code.

To use the function, you simply call it by name and pass in the required parameters. Here's an example:

result = add_numbers(4, 8)

print(result)

In this case, the program will call the "add_numbers" function with the values 4 and 8, and store the result in the "result" variable. 

Finally, the program will print the value of "result" to the screen, which in this case will be 12.

Functions are important in programming because they allow you to break up complex tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces. This can make your code easier to read, understand, and maintain. 

Additionally, functions can be reused in multiple parts of your code, which can save you time and effort.