Mappings are a way to represent relationships between different sets of data or objects. They can show how one item corresponds to another, making it easier to understand connections. For example, in mathematics, a mapping can link elements from one set, like numbers, to another set, such as letters, indicating how each number relates to a specific letter. In computer science, mappings are often used in databases and programming. A common example is a dictionary in Python, where keys are mapped to values. This allows for efficient data retrieval, as you can quickly find the value associated with a specific key.