How can the return value of a function be accessed and utilized in PHP code?

To access and utilize the return value of a function in PHP, you can simply assign the function call to a variable and then use that variable in your code. This allows you to store and manipulate the return value as needed. Example:

function calculateSum($num1, $num2) {
    return $num1 + $num2;
}

$sum = calculateSum(5, 3);
echo "The sum is: " . $sum;