Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Subroutines or functions are blocks of organized, reusable code that are used to perform a single, related action. The question asks for their most significant advantage.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the options:
1. Code reusability and modularity: This is the core purpose of functions.
Modularity: Functions allow you to break down a large, complex program into smaller, manageable, and logical pieces. Each piece (function) handles a specific task.
Reusability: Once a function is written, it can be called multiple times from different parts of the program, avoiding code duplication. This is known as the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle.
These two concepts are the primary and most significant benefits.
2. Improved memory allocation and efficiency: While functions can sometimes affect memory usage, they also introduce function call overhead (pushing arguments and return addresses onto the stack), which can slightly decrease efficiency compared to inlined code. This is not their main advantage.
3. Increased program complexity and reduce memory size: Functions are designed to *reduce* complexity, not increase it. They can slightly increase memory size due to stack usage. This statement is incorrect.
4. Easier debugging and error handling: This is a true and important benefit, but it is a direct *consequence* of modularity. Because the code is broken into logical units, it's easier to isolate and fix problems within a specific function. However, modularity itself is the more fundamental advantage.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The most significant and fundamental advantages of using functions are that they promote modular program design and allow for code to be reused.