[Solved] Why is PHP printing variables used in if statement?

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Here is what worked for the logic of showing updated post date and time if post is updated and if not just show published date and time for WORDPRESS

<?php $u_time = get_the_time('U'); 
$u_modified_time = get_the_modified_time('U'); 
if ($u_modified_time >= $u_time + 86400) { 
echo " [UPDATED] "; 
the_modified_time('F j, Y'); 
echo " at "; 
the_modified_time(); }
else {
echo get_the_date(); echo " at ";  echo the_modified_time(); echo " EST";
}
?>

So anyone looking to implement this on their wordpress website. go for it!!!
Solved it myself after hours of back and forth

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solved Why is PHP printing variables used in if statement?