Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

JavaScript JavaScript Basics (Retired) Working With Numbers The Random Challenge Solution

Marko Delgadillo
Marko Delgadillo
4,524 Points
Posted by Marko Delgadillo
Marko Delgadillo
4,524 Points

Why is it necessary for the first challenge to have parseInt?

My code is as follows and works!

var select=prompt("Select a number MORE than the number 1"); var random= Math.floor( Math.random() * select) +1; var message= random + " is a number between 1 and " + select; document.write(message);

1 Answer

Joe Beltramo
PLUS
Joe Beltramo
Courses Plus Student 22,191 Points
Joe Beltramo
Joe Beltramo
Courses Plus Student 22,191 Points

If you are asking why you should use parseInt() around the variable assigned to the prompt response (in your case select), it is because the prompt always returns the value as a string. Anytime you are working with numerical values, you will want them to be actual numerical values as to properly throw or not throw an error when using them.

Especially with javascript, it is important to know that

"1" !== 1