What is the programming term for a place in memory used to store information for later use?

A variable is a fundamental concept in programming that serves as a named storage location in memory. It allows developers to store data values that can be referenced and manipulated throughout the program. Each variable has a specific type that determines what kind of data it can hold (such as integers, floats, strings, etc.), and it can be changed or updated during the execution of the program, allowing for dynamic data handling.

In contrast, a constant represents a fixed value that cannot be altered during the program's execution, which means it does not allow for the storage of data that can change. A pointer is a variable that stores the memory address of another variable, rather than the actual data value itself. Functions are blocks of reusable code designed to perform a specific task, but they do not represent a storage location for data. Understanding the role of variables is crucial for managing data within programs efficiently.