You set up an array like this:
<?php
$my_array=array($var1, $var2, $var3);
// You can also have an "associative array":
$my_assoc_array=(
'foo'=>'apple',
'bar'=>'orange',
'baz'=>'banana'
);
?>
As to which function you want to use ... you kind of need to decide or say what you intend to do with it first....