title: PHP Parse Date String
body: <p>If I've got a date string:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$date = "08/20/2009";
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>And I want to separate each part of the date:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$m = "08";
  $d = "20";
  $y = "2009";
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>How would I do so?</p>
  
  <p>Is there a special date function I should be using?  Or something else?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks!</p>