What is the role of expressions in programming?

The role of expressions in programming is primarily to execute commands and return a value. An expression is a combination of variables, operators, and values that, when evaluated, produces another value. For example, in programming languages, an arithmetic expression like 5 + 3 evaluates to 8, demonstrating how expressions compute values based on the provided inputs.

In broader terms, expressions can be part of larger statements and serve as the core components that perform calculations, manipulate data, or facilitate decision-making processes through evaluated conditions. They drive the logic of a program by enabling operations that lead to outputs, whether those outputs are numerical, strings, or boolean values.

The other options reflect different aspects of programming, but they do not accurately define the specific function of expressions. Defining data structures pertains to how data is organized in memory, storing variables refers to holding data in named locations for later retrieval, and handling errors focuses more on managing exceptions and ensuring robust code, none of which capture the essential role of expressions in producing results through evaluation.