What is defined as a named section of a program that performs a specific task?

A named section of a program that performs a specific task is known as a function. Functions are foundational building blocks in programming; they allow code to be organized and reused efficiently. When a function is defined, it encapsulates a particular set of instructions that carry out a defined operation, which can be executed whenever the function is called in the program. This modularization helps improve code clarity and maintainability, making it easier to debug and enhance the program over time.

The other choices do not fulfill this specific definition. A loop refers to a control structure that repeatedly executes a block of code as long as a specified condition is true. A variable is a named storage location in a program that holds data, which can be modified during program execution. A class is a blueprint for creating objects in object-oriented programming, which can encompass data (attributes) and methods (functions) but does not itself denote a singular task. Therefore, the concept of a function is key in distinguishing it from these other programming constructs.