How can a beginner in PHP effectively troubleshoot and debug issues with a timer script?

Issue: A beginner in PHP can effectively troubleshoot and debug issues with a timer script by first checking for syntax errors, ensuring all variables are properly initialized, and using print statements to track the flow of the script.

// Initialize variables
$start_time = microtime(true);

// Your timer script code here

$end_time = microtime(true);
$execution_time = $end_time - $start_time;

echo "Script execution time: " . $execution_time . " seconds";