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JavaScript JavaScript Basics (Retired) Creating Reusable Code with Functions Create a max() Function

Posted by Erik Erb
Erik Erb
7,529 Points

Really unsure what I'm doing here. Having some troubles with functions. I understand that I can set parameters...

but I don't understand this:

do I then create variables to ask for the numbers? or I am strictly assigning the values to the numbers when I call the function (because I've set parameters)?

I suppose I'm just not understanding the lesson in general. Any help would be most grateful to truly understand functions and the assignment. Rewatched videos twice in this block.

Thanks, Erik

script.js 
function max (x, y) {
  if (x > y) {
    return alert("The largest number is " + x + "!");
  } else {
    return alert("The largest number is " + y + "!");
}

1 Answer

Chris Davis
Chris Davis
16,280 Points
Chris Davis
Chris Davis
16,280 Points

or I am strictly assigning the values to the numbers when I call the function (because I've set parameters)?

Exactly. When you create parameters in a function, they become the variables when you call the function.

It is said that function parameters are the names listed in the function definition and function arguments are the real values passed to (and received by) the function. <-- Stole that from w3schools.com :metal:

Think of it like having a function that you can call with different values to obtain different results. It's one of the first steps in getting away from hard coding values.

for example, in the function below, i'm calling it 2 times with different arguments to get different results...

function getName(name, age) {
return "You are " + name + " and you are " + age + " years old"; 
}

console.log(getName("Chris", 40));
console.log(getName("Colleen", 39));

You would write your example like this...

function max(x, y) {
  if (x > y) {
    return "The largest number is " + x + "!";
  } else {
    return "The largest number is " + y + "!";
    }
}

console.log(max(10, 9));

I hope this helps :thumbsup: