What purpose do flowcharts serve?

Flowcharts serve the crucial purpose of visually illustrating the sequence of steps in a procedure or process. They provide a graphical representation that makes it easier to understand complex algorithms or workflows by breaking them down into individual steps represented by various shapes (such as ovals for start/end, rectangles for processes, diamonds for decisions, etc.). This visual format helps individuals quickly grasp the logic and sequence involved in a particular task, making flowcharts effective tools for both planning and communicating processes.

While some of the other choices touch on aspects of programming and computer science, they do not encapsulate the primary function of flowcharts. For instance, displaying variable names and types relates more to programming languages and code structure than to the procedural focus of flowcharts. Similarly, representing data structures visually pertains to data organization and is not the core aim of flowcharts. Finally, while flowcharts can aid in debugging by clarifying the process, they do not provide a debugging framework themselves. Instead, their value lies in clarifying the flow and logic of processes.