What is the primary purpose of the return statement in a function?

The primary purpose of the return statement in a function is to pass a value back to the caller of the function. When a function is executed, it may perform calculations or processes that yield a specific result. The return statement allows that result to be sent back to the part of the program that called the function, enabling it to use the value. This is crucial for making functions reusable and modular since it allows for the integration of function outputs into other calculations or processes.

In contrast, the other options highlight different concepts. Ending a function refers to the point at which its execution finishes, but the return statement specifically facilitates sending back a value rather than simply terminating the function. Outputting data to users might involve printing or displaying data but does not necessarily involve returning a value for further use in the program. Furthermore, printing a value to the console is a different operation from returning a value; while a function can print output, this does not allow for that output to be utilized elsewhere in the code. Thus, the return statement's primary role is effectively communicated through its function of passing values back to where the function is invoked.