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JavaScript JavaScript Basics (Retired) Working With Numbers The Random Challenge Solution

Posted by Alfredo Garcia
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Alfredo Garcia
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 6,098 Points

parseInt(firstNumber); vs var convertedMin = parseInt(firstNumber);

Hello,

So I've been following this track every step of the way. I've come into a stumbling block with my code, and although I found the solution, I'd like to understand what is happening.

Here is my code:

var firstNumber = prompt('What is the first number?');
var secondNumber = prompt('Oh great! You picked, ' + firstNumber + '. Which is the second number?');

parseInt(firstNumber);
parseInt(secondNumber);

This didn't kept giving me a result in the thousands.

However, changing it to this:

var firstNumber = prompt('What is the first number?');
var secondNumber = prompt('Oh great! You picked, ' + firstNumber + '. Which is the second number?');

var convertedMin = parseInt(firstNumber);
var convertedMax = parseInt(secondNumber);

Made the random generator work flawlessly.....

I'm just a tad confused as to what is going on. For reference my code is below:

// Let's announce the challenge.
alert('Let\'s play a game. Give me two random numbers, and I\'ll pick one between those two numbers. Sounds good?');

//Collect the numbers from the player.
var firstNumber = prompt('What is the first number?');
var secondNumber = prompt('Oh great! You picked, ' + firstNumber + '. Which is the second number?');

// Let's convert these numbers.
var convertedMin = parseInt(firstNumber);
var convertedMax = parseInt(secondNumber);

// Communication!
alert('Hmm....a number between ' + firstNumber + ' and ' + secondNumber + '.');

// Let's do the math.
var finalAnswer = Math.floor(Math.random() * (convertedMax - convertedMin + 1)) + convertedMin;

// Lights, camera, ACTION!
document.write('<h2>A number between ' + firstNumber + ' and ' + secondNumber + ' is ' + finalAnswer + '.</h2>');

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points

Your comments seem to indicate you already understand the program.

The only potential area of confusion I see is in the very first example, where you call parseInt two times, but do not store the result anywhere. While this may not cause an error, it doesn't do anything useful.

In the other examples, you correct this and save the numeric results of the parseInt functions so they can be used later in the program.

Alfredo Garcia
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Alfredo Garcia
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 6,098 Points

Thank you for explaining. I knew the problem and the solution, just wanted to know where I went wrong in the first example.

Thanks!