How do I implement a search algorithm

A search algorithm is a method used to find specific data within a larger set of data. There are various types of search algorithms, but the most common include linear search and binary search. Here's a brief overview of how to implement a simple linear search algorithm in PHP.

function linearSearch($arr, $target) {
    for ($i = 0; $i < count($arr); $i++) {
        if ($arr[$i] === $target) {
            return $i; // Return the index of the target if found
        }
    }
    return -1; // Return -1 if the target is not found
}

// Example usage
$array = [5, 3, 8, 4, 2];
$target = 8;
$result = linearSearch($array, $target);
if ($result !== -1) {
    echo "Element found at index: $result";
} else {
    echo "Element not found.";
}