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CSS CSS Foundations Advanced Selectors Pseudo-Classes: :nth-child

Posted by Mark Lavar
Mark Lavar
1,903 Points

I was about confused as to how the :nth-last-child(-n+3) started counting up the number line.

Can someone help me?

1 Answer

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Courses Plus Student 5,041 Points

Mark Lavar It is a simple.

nth-last-child() works as nth-child() but nth-last-child() starts its selection from bottom of the list. Meaning from last child of a parent.

Check the example please. 

<ul>
  <li>First Item</li>
  <li>Second Item</li>
  <li>Third Item</li>
  <li>Fourth Item</li>
  <li>Fifth Item</li>
</ul>

li {
  background: slategrey;
}
/* select the second-last item */
li:nth-last-child(2) {
  background: lightslategrey;
}

-n + 3 equation selects Third Item, Fourth Item and Fifth Item in the list. Becasue 3 in the equation "-n + 3" says starts at third item and -n meaning -1 * n. Saying selects item from Third Item and below.

It will go down the list because it decreases.

If n is a + selectors will go up and selects everything from Third Item to First Item inclusive.

I hope i answered your question.

Mark Lavar
Mark Lavar
1,903 Points

Yes it did. Thank you so much! I wasn't really sure. Now I can move on.