What common mistakes do PHP beginners make when writing functions that may result in them not returning the expected output?

One common mistake PHP beginners make when writing functions is not properly returning a value from the function. If a function does not explicitly return a value or if the return statement is missing, the function may not output the expected result. To solve this issue, always ensure that your function includes a return statement that returns the desired output.

// Incorrect function without a return statement
function addNumbers($num1, $num2) {
    $sum = $num1 + $num2;
}

// Corrected function with a return statement
function addNumbers($num1, $num2) {
    $sum = $num1 + $num2;
    return $sum;
}