What do operands refer to in an expression?

Operands refer to the individual elements that operators affect within an expression. In programming and mathematics, operands are the inputs for operators, which perform specific actions on these inputs. For example, in a mathematical expression like "3 + 4," the operands are 3 and 4, while the addition sign (+) serves as the operator performing the action of addition on the operands.

Understanding this distinction is crucial because it defines how expressions are constructed and evaluated. Operands can be variables, constants, or any elements on which operations are to be performed. This knowledge underpins much of programming and helps in conceptualizing how data is manipulated within algorithms and expressions.