What is the correct way to include an external CSS file in PHP and apply it to HTML elements?

To include an external CSS file in PHP and apply it to HTML elements, you can use the `echo` function to output the HTML link tag that references the CSS file within the `<head>` section of your HTML document. Make sure to specify the correct path to your CSS file. This way, the styles defined in the external CSS file will be applied to your HTML elements.

&lt;?php
echo &#039;&lt;link rel=&quot;stylesheet&quot; type=&quot;text/css&quot; href=&quot;styles.css&quot;&gt;&#039;;
?&gt;