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JavaScript JavaScript Basics (Retired) Working With Numbers Doing Math

Posted by Andy V
Andy V
19,406 Points

Unlike in math, .js goes from left to right, and does not follow the Order of Operations?

So there's no need to clarify that you want it to subtract first, then multiply?

script.js 
var wholesalePrice = 5.45;
var retailPrice = 9.99;
var quantity = 47;
var salesTotal = retailPrice * quantity;
var profit = salesTotal - wholesalePrice * quantity;
index.html 
<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html>
<head>
  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
  <title>JavaScript Basics</title>
</head>
<body>
<script src="script.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

1 Answer

Robert Richey
Robert Richey
Courses Plus Student 16,352 Points

Hi Andy,

JS does follow common mathematical order of operations. Here is an MDN - Operator precedence as reference.

In this challenge, we don't want to subtract first, but it does need to be on the left side after wholesalePrice * quantity is evaluated.

This line could be broken into two lines to add more clarity:

// how much did these products cost me, as a business owner?
var productExpense = wholesalePrice * quantity;

var profit = salesTotal - productExpense;

Hope this helps,

Cheers