What does the rectangle shape in a flow diagram represent?

In a flow diagram, the rectangle shape is used to represent processes. This signifies the actions or operations that take place within a system. A process may involve calculations, data transformations, or any task that the program or algorithm performs. When a flowchart is constructed, each rectangle typically contains a short description of the specific process being executed, clearly indicating what should happen at that step.

In the context of flow diagrams, other shapes represent different functions: diamonds often indicate decision points (where a choice must be made), parallelograms generally denote inputs/outputs (such as data being received or displayed), and ovals are used to indicate the start and end points of the process. Each shape plays a distinct role in portraying the flow of operations visually, allowing for a clear understanding of how tasks are interconnected.