What does a rectangle on a flow chart typically indicate?

In flowcharting, a rectangle is used to represent a process or an instruction. This shape is one of the most common symbols you'll encounter, indicating a step in the workflow where an activity or operation is performed. It signifies any action that moves the process forward, such as calculations, data processing, or any operational step.

Understanding flowchart symbols is fundamental because they help in visualizing the flow of processes. While the other symbols have specific meanings—such as diamonds indicating decision points, parallelograms signifying data inputs and outputs—the rectangle succinctly captures the core function of executing tasks within the process flow. Recognizing this allows individuals to effectively interpret and create flowcharts for clear communication and analysis of processes.