Visual Studio Code – Can't solve "No module named 'numpy'" after hours of digging

I know this is a problem that’s been asked here before, but I have tried all the solutions I found and not solved it. It’s possible I’m not understanding the solutions, but I have tried my best.

I am teaching myself Python and it is slow going, so I don’t understand a lot yet. I’m using VSCode as an IDE, Python version 3.10, and Windows 10. I only have the Python extension installed for VSCode. My project files are on a flash drive, D. I replaced a couple folder names with [Default Names] in the text below.

I keep trying to debug/run some code in VSCode and the very first line
import numpy as np
gives me the error
Exception has occurred: ModuleNotFoundError - No module named 'numpy'.

But I know that’s not true:

`PS D:-CareerProgrammingPythonCoding[ProjectFolder]> py -m pip install numpy   
Requirement already satisfied: numpy in c:users[UserID]appdatalocalprogramspythonpython310libsite-packages (1.23.1)`

I tried the solution of going to

environment variables > system variables > "Path" > edit > new >
c:users[UserID]appdatalocalprogramspythonpython310

as well as
C:Users[UserID]AppDataLocalProgramsPythonPython310Libsite-packages
and
C:Users[UserID]AppDataLocalProgramsPythonPython310Scripts
and I also tried adding a user variable called Python. Nothing appears to have changed as a result of these additions.

Some history if it’s helpful:
I first started by installing Python using the Microsoft Store. I used IDLE for a bit, and I used my command line to install pip and numpy. They worked for a little while. I later installed Visual Studio Code IDE. I ultimately have uninstalled the Microsoft Store version and installed the application from the Python site for Windows instead. I have also uninstalled and reinstalled it several times trying to fix my issues, and same for numpy. I also searched my C drive for "python" and burned everything from the past couple days and reinstalled and repaired it out of desperation. No luck.

I have tried to the best of my ability to uninstall everything and reinstall everything to start fresh, because numpy worked ever so briefly early on in IDLE, I think until I had installed the web download version of Python. I don’t really understand environment variables, so I’m not sure what I’m doing or if I’m doing that wrong, or what needs to be restarted when I try something new, so it’s possible I missed something.

Answers a 10 year old could understand would be appreciated! Or terminology I can easily research for an explanation of how to do it.