In mathematics, "bounds" refer to the limits or constraints on the values that a variable can take. For example, if a variable is said to be between 1 and 10, then 1 is the lower bound and 10 is the upper bound. This concept helps in defining the range of possible solutions in various mathematical problems. In computer science, bounds are often used in algorithms to determine the efficiency of a solution. For instance, the Big O notation provides an upper bound on the time complexity of an algorithm, indicating how the runtime grows with the size of the input. Understanding bounds is essential for optimizing performance and ensuring accurate results.