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JavaScript JavaScript Foundations Arrays Methods: Part 2

Posted by Martin Argosino
Martin Argosino
1,447 Points

In JavaScript Foundations, I'm stuck on Arrays/Methods-2, Challenge Question 2. Is there somewhere I can get the answer?

How do you sort 'the values of an array', from shortest to longest, based on the 'length of each individual value'?

The values are all strings, and apparently, I'm supposed to use the 'length property' in the 'sort' function.

This is the actual array in the challenge question:

var saying2 = ["The", "quick", "brown", "fox", "jumped", "over", "the", "lazy", "dog's", "back"];

Stuck!

3 Answers

Julian Gutierrez
Julian Gutierrez
19,201 Points
Julian Gutierrez
Julian Gutierrez
19,201 Points 
saying2.sort(function(a,b){
        return a.length-b.length;
 })
Martin Argosino
Martin Argosino
1,447 Points
Martin Argosino
Martin Argosino
1,447 Points

It's simple now seeing your answer, but I could not come up with that conversion on my own. Thanks Julian.

Molly Black
Molly Black
6,352 Points
Molly Black
Molly Black
6,352 Points

I had -

saying2.sort(function(a, b) { return a.length > b.length; });

  • which, in my console works no problem, but the code challenge wouldn't accept it. Is there a reason the "-" is better to use than the > ?
Noel Deles
Noel Deles
8,215 Points
Noel Deles
Noel Deles
8,215 Points

Just a beginner as well but my hunch is that a.length > b.length returns a boolean value whereas using - returns an int value? Now why the latter is better than the former I have no idea.

Daniel Stockham
Daniel Stockham
10,277 Points
Daniel Stockham
Daniel Stockham
10,277 Points

I think Noel makes a good point. When you use that comparison operator you are only finding a boolean value when javascript is perfectly capable determining the order according to the length through a math function.