for($i = 0; $i < $count; $i++)
{
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM item WHERE name_of_item LIKE '%$fitem[$i]%'";
    $result = mysqli_query($cxn,$sql)
        or die(mysqli_error($cxn));
    $num_rows = mysqli_num_rows($result);
    $results += $num_rows;
    while($row = mysqli_fetch_array($result))
    {
        $array = array();
        /*
        //testing stuff
        echo "we're in<br/>";
        echo "<br/>$item[$i] :" . $item[$i];
        echo "<br/> ";
        echo "$row[name_of_item] :" . $row['name_of_item'];
        */
        $mafteach = $row['mafteach'];
        $array[$mafteach]++;
        echo $array[$mafteach];
        echo "<br/>";
        echo $row['name_of_item']. "<br/>";
    }
}