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 Congratulations on completing question 7 on Program-AI with a score of 75%! That's a great start!

Now, let me explain the purpose of variables in programming.

**What are variables?**

In programming, a variable is a name given to a value that can be stored and used throughout your code. Think of it like a labeled box where you can store and retrieve values as needed.

**Why do we need variables?**

Variables serve several purposes:

1. **Storage**: Variables allow you to store values for future use. You can assign a value to a variable and then reuse that value in different parts of your code.
2. **Flexibility**: With variables, you can easily change the value stored within without affecting other parts of your code.
3. **Reusability**: Variables enable you to write more modular and reusable code by allowing you to store values that can be used across multiple functions or procedures.

**Real-world analogy**

Think of variables like a digital sticky note on your computer desktop. You can jot down a reminder, like "Buy milk," and then come back later to review it. Variables work similarly; they allow you to store values and access them as needed, making your code more efficient and easier to manage.

**Example**

Suppose you're building a simple calculator program that takes two numbers as input and calculates their sum. You can use variables to store these numbers and then perform calculations on them:
```
num1 = 5
num2 = 3

result = num1 + num2
print(result)  # Output: 8
```
In this example, `num1` and `num2` are variables that store the input values. The result of the calculation is stored in another variable, `result`, which can then be printed or used further in your code.

Now, go ahead and celebrate your 75% score on question 7!