In the context of PHP programming, what are the advantages of working with time values in minutes or seconds rather than string formats?

Working with time values in minutes or seconds rather than string formats allows for easier calculations and comparisons. It simplifies operations such as adding or subtracting time intervals, converting between different units of time, and performing time-based logic. By using numeric representations of time, you can avoid potential parsing errors and ensure consistency in your code.

// Convert a time string to minutes
function convertTimeStringToMinutes($timeString) {
    $timeComponents = explode(':', $timeString);
    $hours = (int)$timeComponents[0];
    $minutes = (int)$timeComponents[1];
    
    return ($hours * 60) + $minutes;
}

// Example of converting a time string to minutes
$timeString = '2:30';
$minutes = convertTimeStringToMinutes($timeString);
echo $minutes; // Output: 150