How can understanding the scope of PHP variables help in troubleshooting issues with foreach loops?

When troubleshooting issues with foreach loops in PHP, understanding the scope of variables is crucial. If a variable used within a foreach loop is not properly scoped, it can lead to unexpected behavior or errors. To solve this issue, ensure that the variable used in the loop is declared within the correct scope, either inside the loop itself or before it.

// Incorrect variable scope causing issues with foreach loop
$items = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
foreach ($items as $item) {
    $total += $item; // $total is not properly scoped
}

// Correcting variable scope to prevent issues with foreach loop
$items = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
$total = 0; // Declare $total before the loop
foreach ($items as $item) {
    $total += $item;
}
echo $total; // Output: 15