title: how to display value of mysql sum query
body: <p>I am trying to grab the total amount of sales made for a a single month</p>
  
  <pre><code>$aug11 = mysql_query("SELECT SUM(price) FROM table WHERE sales_date LIKE '08/%/2011' ");
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>when I echo <code>$aug11</code> I get a resource id# error. I also tried to do this</p>
  
  <pre><code>$test1 = mysql_fetch_array($aug11);
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and when I echo <code>$test1</code> it just says "Array".</p>
  
  <p>Is it absolutely necessary to place a GROUP by sales_date in the original query and then have a while loop that grabs the array and lets me echo the values?</p>
  
  <p>I don't really need any other value except the sum of 'price' for the month of August.</p>
  
  <p>Can someone please explain to me how I can display the value I need without a while loop?</p>