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JavaScript JavaScript and the DOM (Retiring) Getting a Handle on the DOM Selection Review

travis halarewich
travis halarewich
9,165 Points
Posted by travis halarewich
travis halarewich
9,165 Points

i do not understand what this question is asking, i do not see how my answer is wrong

How would you select the body element using document.getElementsByTagName, and store it in the variable body?

(Hint: Don't forget that this method returns a zero-based collection, not a single element.)

const body = _______ [_];

above is what you are given for the fill in the blank and below is my answer

const body = document.getElementsByTagName["body"];

all i get back is that what i have said is wrong and no feed back as to what is right

Jacob Dahlberg
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Jacob Dahlberg
Python Development Techdegree Student 13,154 Points
Jacob Dahlberg
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Jacob Dahlberg
Python Development Techdegree Student 13,154 Points

The value of this quiz question is lost on me as well. Due to the wording, I haven't been able to solve it reading back through fairly meticulous notes. It's referring to a collection (similar to an array).

I know that getElementsByTagName is a method and would fit into "returns a zero-based collection" The answers are always simple, all of my notes point to = document.getElementsByTagName[0];

The question does say "using document.getElementsByTagName" implying that's part of the answer. I moved on and assume it is in the wording of the question and it's okay to not understand everything.

2 Answers

Simon Feuster
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Simon Feuster
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Graduate 28,036 Points
Simon Feuster
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Simon Feuster
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Graduate 28,036 Points

document.getElementsByTagName('body') gets a collection of body Elements (there is of course only one body element). Therefore it is the first element in the collection.

The solution is: document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0];

KRIS NIKOLAISEN
KRIS NIKOLAISEN
54,968 Points
KRIS NIKOLAISEN
KRIS NIKOLAISEN
54,968 Points

See the hint provided: Don't forget that this method returns a zero-based collection, not a single element. You will have to specify the first (even though it is the only) element in the collection by using its index [0].