What are PHP variables preceded by?

Solution (By Examveda Team)

This question is about the special symbol that is used in front of a variable in the PHP programming language. Variables are like containers that store information, and PHP uses a specific character to identify them.

Here's how to understand the options:
* Option A: _ This symbol is often used in PHP to represent private members within a class. It's not used to identify variables.
* Option B: @ This symbol is used for error suppression. It tells PHP to ignore any errors that might occur during the execution of the code. It doesn't define a variable.
* Option C: $ This is the correct answer! In PHP, variables always begin with a dollar sign ($). This makes it easy for PHP to recognize them.
* Option D: & This symbol is used for passing variables by reference. It tells PHP to use the actual variable, not a copy of it, which can be important for certain operations.

So, the answer is Option C: $
Let's illustrate with a simple example:
```php $name = "Alice"; echo $name; // This will output "Alice" ```
In this code, `$name` is a variable that holds the value "Alice". The dollar sign ($) is what makes it a variable.