Mnemonics are shorthand codes, often represented by acronyms or abbreviations, that represent instructions for a microprocessor to follow. For example, the mnemonic "MOV" instructs the processor to move data from one memory location to another. By using mnemonics, developers can create programs much more quickly than by typing out long strings of code each time they need to execute an instruction. This makes it easier to troubleshoot problems and debug code when necessary. Mnemonics work by telling the processor which operations to perform on certain pieces of data stored in its memory. The processor translates the mnemonic into machine language instructions that can be understood by the computer's circuitry. As such, mnemonics help bridge the gap between human-readable programming languages and machine-readable binary code. Mnemonics are important because they make programming faster and easier. Without them, developers would have to write programs in machine language every time they needed to execute an instruction--a tedious and time-consuming process! Furthermore, mnemonics also make debugging programs simpler since developers can quickly identify which parts of their code need attention if something goes wrong.