echo with print - unexpected answer

Question

What is the output of the following code?

echo '1' . (print '2') + 3;

My answer was 15, but the answer is 214.

Why?

hi you can give minus votes , but please explain why 214 is coming ?? — Kanishka Panamaldeniya, Feb 10 '14 at 02:42
This [question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7094118/reference-comparing-phps-print-and-echo) may help too — Andy, Feb 10 '14 at 02:44

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 10 '14 at 02:44

As executed, the code will do:

print '2'  -> outputs 2
... print ALWAYS has a return value of 1, so the code becomes

echo '1' . (1 + 3);  // with output '2'

This is simplified to

echo '1' . 4; // with output '2'
echo '14'; // output 2

final output: 214.

1 Answers1