What is a loop and how is it used in programming?

A loop is a control flow statement in programming that allows a program to repeat a set of instructions multiple times. It is used to execute a block of code repeatedly until a certain condition is met.

There are different types of loops, including:

1. for loop: This type of loop is used to iterate over a range of values. The loop runs for a fixed number of times, and the loop counter is updated automatically.
2. while loop: This type of loop is used to execute a block of code repeatedly as long as a certain condition is true. The condition is checked at the beginning of each iteration.
3. do-while loop: This type of loop is similar to the while loop, except that the condition is checked at the end of each iteration instead of the beginning.

Here is an example of a for loop in Python:

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for i in range(1, 5):    print(i)

This loop will print the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Loops are useful in programming when you need to perform a certain action multiple times, such as iterating over the elements in a list, processing input data, or performing calculations. They can save time and effort by automating repetitive tasks and making your code more efficient.