Explain the function of the `map()` method in JavaScript:

The map() method in JavaScript is designed to create a new array by applying a specified function to each element of the original array. When you invoke map(), you provide it with a callback function that defines how each element should be transformed. The result of this transformation is then placed into a new array, which is returned by the method.

For instance, if you have an array of numbers and you want to create a new array that contains the squares of these numbers, you could use the map() method to accomplish this succinctly. The callback function would take each number, perform the squaring operation, and map() would collect these results into a new array. This is perfect for scenarios where you need to retain the original array while generating a new one based on modifications.

This method does not modify the original array—it strictly produces a new one—and it processes each element in a one-to-one manner, maintaining the order of elements from the original array in the new array. Therefore, it’s a powerful tool for manipulating data in a functional programming style, enhancing code readability and maintainability.

This understanding distinguishes map() from other array methods like filter(), which is concerned only with selecting elements based on a