How can the use of PHP functions like array_multisort() improve the efficiency of sorting operations on arrays?

When dealing with multidimensional arrays in PHP, sorting operations can become complex and inefficient. Using PHP functions like array_multisort() allows for a more streamlined and efficient way to sort multidimensional arrays based on one or more columns.

// Sample multidimensional array
$students = array(
    array('name' => 'Alice', 'age' => 20),
    array('name' => 'Bob', 'age' => 22),
    array('name' => 'Charlie', 'age' => 21)
);

// Sort the array by age in ascending order
array_multisort(array_column($students, 'age'), SORT_ASC, $students);

// Output the sorted array
print_r($students);