When defining a function, what does a return statement accomplish?

The return statement is a crucial element in function definitions as it marks the end of a function's execution process. When a return statement is encountered, the function immediately ceases its operations and returns control to the calling code. Additionally, the return statement can optionally send a value back to the caller. This makes it integral for functions that need to compute a result and share that result with other parts of the program.

For example, if a function is designed to perform a calculation, it would use the return statement to provide the computed value back to the site where the function was called, allowing further use or processing of this value. By effectively ending the function, it ensures that no additional code within that function will execute beyond the return point, which is essential in controlling the flow of a program.