What is the purpose of a 'return' statement in a function?

The 'return' statement in a function serves the critical purpose of sending a specified value back to the caller. When a function executes a return statement, it not only terminates the function's execution but also allows the function to "return" a result to wherever it was called. This returned value can then be utilized for further operations, making the function more dynamic and useful.

For example, if you have a function that calculates the sum of two numbers, the return statement would allow that sum to be sent back to the part of the program that invoked the function, making it possible to use the result immediately for other calculations or logic. This mechanism is essential in programming as it facilitates the flow of data and control between different parts of a program, enabling modular and organized code.