How can the use of the return statement improve the functionality of a PHP function?

The use of the return statement in a PHP function allows the function to return a value back to the calling code. This can improve the functionality of the function by allowing it to pass data back to the caller, which can then be used for further processing or decision making.

function addNumbers($num1, $num2) {
    $sum = $num1 + $num2;
    return $sum;
}

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