Return values in PHP - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Return values

📖 Scenario: You are creating a simple calculator function in PHP that adds two numbers and returns the result.

🎯 Goal: Build a PHP function that takes two numbers, adds them, and returns the sum. Then display the returned value.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a function named addNumbers that takes two parameters: $a and $b.

Inside the function, return the sum of $a and $b.

Call the function with the numbers 5 and 7 and store the result in a variable named $result.

Print the value of $result.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Functions that return values are used everywhere in programming to get results from calculations or data processing.

💼 Career

Understanding return values is essential for writing reusable code and working with APIs, libraries, and frameworks in professional PHP development.

1

Create the function skeleton

Write a PHP function named addNumbers that takes two parameters: $a and $b. Do not add any code inside the function yet.

PHP

<?php

// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use the function keyword followed by the function name and parameters in parentheses.

2

Add the return statement

Inside the addNumbers function, write a return statement that returns the sum of $a and $b.

PHP

<?php
function addNumbers($a, $b) {
    // Your code here
}

Need a hint?

Use return $a + $b; to send back the sum.

3

Call the function and store the result

Call the addNumbers function with arguments 5 and 7, and store the returned value in a variable named $result.

PHP

<?php
function addNumbers($a, $b) {
    return $a + $b;
}

// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use $result = addNumbers(5, 7); to call the function and save the answer.

4

Print the result

Print the value of the variable $result using echo.

PHP

<?php
function addNumbers($a, $b) {
    return $a + $b;
}

$result = addNumbers(5, 7);

// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use echo $result; to display the sum.