[php] PHP Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_PUBLIC

I am getting this error in this PHP code on line 3, what could be wrong? This code has been taken from php manual user notes by frank at interactinet dot com

<?php

public function myMethod()
{
return 'test';
}

public function myOtherMethod()
{
return null;
}

if($val = $this->myMethod())
{
 // $val might be 1 instead of the expected 'test'
}

if( ($val = $this->myMethod()) )
{
// now $val should be 'test'
}

// or to check for false
if( !($val = $this->myMethod()) )
{
// this will not run since $val = 'test' and equates to true
}

// this is an easy way to assign default value only if a value is not returned:

if( !($val = $this->myOtherMethod()) )
{
$val = 'default'
}

?> 

You can remove public keyword from your functions, because, you have to define a class in order to declare public, private or protected function