php sort($array) returning 1 instead of sorted array

Question

I am trying to sort an array. When I print the sort results to screen it prints 1. Why does it print 1 instead of the contents of the sorted array?

Answer 1

sort just sorts the array, doesn't return it :) It is returning boolean TRUE to you which your echo is showing as 1

echo $asceding_order= sort($a);   // wrong

Right way would be

sort($a);
print_r($a);

Here is the function prototype for reference

bool sort ( array &$array [, int $sort_flags = SORT_REGULAR ] )