Count function with array

The best way to explain this is to understand each part of the code.

So from top:

$numbers = array(1, 2, 3, 4); 

$total = count($numbers); 

What is happening here is we are counting how many values are in the array $numbers, so 4 numbers, each value separated with a , = 4 values so our $total variable would be equal to 4.

$numbers = array(1, 2, 3, 4); 

$total = count($numbers);  // $total = 4;

Ignore $output as its not needed in the explaining.

$sum = 0;

$i = 0;

Here we are simply giving sum and i the value of 0 but they become really important as we move tot he foreach loop.

foreach($numbers as $number) {

$i = $i + 1;

if ($i < $total) {

    $sum = $sum + $number;

}

So lets break this down a little.

foreach($numbers as $number) {

$i = $i + 1;


}

So what this does is every time the loop runs we are adding 1 to the value of $i.

foreach($numbers as $number) {

$i = $i + 1;

if ($i < $total) {


}

Now we are saying, if $i is less than $total (Which remember is 4) then run the code that follows.

foreach($numbers as $number) {

$i = $i + 1;

if ($i < $total) {

    $sum = $sum + $number;

}

Now if $i is less than 4 add $sum + number together and store it in the variable $sum.

So for the first loop:

$i becomes 1

$sum becomes 1 because $number on the first loop = 1 for the first value in our array.

So after this first loop:

$i = 1;

$sum = 1;

Time for the second loop:

$i = $i(1) + 1;

$sum = $sum(1) + $number so because this is the second loop $number is the second value in our array which is the number 2:

$sum(1) + $number(2) 1 + 2 = 3

So after the second loop:

$i = 2;

$sum = 3;

Time for the third loop:

$i = $i(2) + 1;

$sum = $sum(3) + $number so because this is the third loop $number is the third value in our array which is the number 3:

$sum(3) + $number(3)

3 + 3 = 6

So after the third loop:

$i = 3; $sum = 6;

Time for the fourth loop:

foreach($numbers as $number) {

$i = $i + 1;

if ($i < $total) {

    $sum = $sum + $number;

}

Now because on the forth loop $i is = to 3 and at the start of our foreach loop we are adding 1 to $i when we get to our if statement $i is now equal to 4 meaning our if $i is less than $total(4) do this code but because $i is no longer less than 4 we stop the foreach loop and do NOT carry on with the code.

Leaving our $i = 4; and our $sum = 6;

In short our foreach loop is adding the values of our array together one at a time:

1 + 2 + 3 = 6.

Sorry for being so long winded but really wanted to try my best to explain this as once you crack this, foreach loops become really easy to understand no matter how many things are going on in them.