How can using meaningful variable names improve the readability and understanding of PHP code?

Using meaningful variable names can improve the readability and understanding of PHP code by providing clear and descriptive names that convey the purpose or content of the variable. This makes it easier for other developers (or even yourself in the future) to understand the code without needing to decipher cryptic variable names. Additionally, meaningful variable names can help prevent errors and make the code easier to maintain and debug.

// Bad variable naming
$a = 10;
$b = 20;
$result = $a + $b;

// Improved variable naming
$firstNumber = 10;
$secondNumber = 20;
$sum = $firstNumber + $secondNumber;