basic php problem

I want to set a page number of a page if(!isset($_REQUEST['page'])) { $page =$_REQUEST['page'] + 1; echo "page is ".$page; // this echos out page is 1 } The problem is when I try and use $page further down in the body $page is 0 Question <?=$page; ?> <BR /> <? echo "page is".$page; ?> <?=$question[($page-1)]; ?> I also get an undefined index notice Notice: Undefined index: page in c:\Inetpub\wwwroot\lss\module_one\evaluation.php on line 8 page is 1 but I though if I do a if(!isset($_REQUEST['page'])) this is the way to set a previously undefined index? Ross