How can the max_execution_time setting in PHP be effectively utilized to prevent timeouts in scripts that require extensive processing time?

To prevent timeouts in scripts that require extensive processing time, the max_execution_time setting in PHP can be effectively utilized by increasing the maximum time allowed for script execution. This setting specifies the maximum number of seconds a script is allowed to run before it is terminated. By setting a higher value for max_execution_time, scripts can be given more time to complete their tasks without being interrupted due to timeouts.

// Increase the maximum execution time to 300 seconds (5 minutes)
ini_set('max_execution_time', 300);

// Your extensive processing code here