A variable is like your binder, you store data in it and when you need it you can simply pull it out.
All variables have $ before them this is how you know it is a variable.
Variables can store a integer, string, Boolean.
Integers are numbers

Strings are words

Booleans are like true or false
We start php files with <?php and end it with ?>
<?php
$int = 2;
$int2 = 5;
$int3 = $int + $int2;
echo $int + $int2;
echo $int3;
?>
That will echo the number 7 to the screen. Twice sense we told it to echo int + int2 and then we told it to echo int3