1
00:00:04,069 --> 00:00:10,110
A variable is a container you can store a
value in. When you use that variable in an

2
00:00:10,110 --> 00:00:16,180
algorithm, it opens up the container and looks
at the value inside. This lets you write smarter

3
00:00:16,180 --> 00:00:21,590
algorithms that behave differently depending
on the value stored in the variable. For example,

4
00:00:21,590 --> 00:00:27,470
if you wanted to write an algorithm to say
Happy birthday, you're turning 10! to my little

5
00:00:27,470 --> 00:00:32,830
brother, that's great now but when I run it
next year I'd want it to say, Happy birthday,

6
00:00:32,830 --> 00:00:39,250
you're turning 11! I could create a variable
called age to store my brother's age and write

7
00:00:39,250 --> 00:00:44,949
my algorithm to say Happy birthday, you're
turning 'age' instead. Because variable can

8
00:00:44,949 --> 00:00:52,620
change, every year I can update the variable
'age' to equal 'age' plus 1. In this puzzle,

9
00:00:52,620 --> 00:00:57,030
we're going to be using a variable that will
set the length of the line our artist draws.

10
00:00:57,030 --> 00:01:02,809
Later on in our code, the move forward block
will look at that length variable to see what

11
00:01:02,809 --> 00:01:04,140
value you've set it to.