What is the primary purpose of a variable in programming?

The primary purpose of a variable in programming is to store data values. Variables act as named storage locations that hold information which can be modified and accessed throughout the program. This allows programmers to write code that can process and manipulate data dynamically, making it possible to store results, keep track of user input, or manage the state of an application.

When a variable is created, it is assigned a name and is associated with a particular data type, which dictates what kind of data it can hold, such as integers, strings, or arrays. For instance, when a programmer declares a variable to hold a user's age, they can easily update that value as necessary or use it in calculations or logical operations later in the program.

Other options, while related to programming, do not serve as the primary role of a variable. Defining functions and methods involves creating blocks of code designed to perform specific tasks, mathematical operations are executed using operators and numerical types rather than variables themselves, and organizing code comments helps with code readability but does not pertain to the fundamental purpose of a variable.