In Rust, understanding the difference between statements and expressions is key, especially because Rust is an expression-based language. This distinction significantly influences how function bodies are constructed and how values are returned. Function bodies in Rust consist of a sequence of statements, and they can optionally conclude with an expression. Here's a breakdown: - **Statements**: These are instructions that perform an action but do not produce a value. Think of them as carrying out a task. - **Expressions**: These evaluate to a resulting value. They compute something and give back a result. This difference is crucial. For instance, variable assignments using `let` are statements. However, a block of code `{}` can be an expression if its last line is an expression (without a semicolon). Many constructs in Rust that might be statements in other languages are expressions in Rust, like `if` conditions or loops. **:: Reference ::** [Functions - The Rust Programming Language](https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/ch03-03-how-functions-work.html)