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JavaScript JavaScript Basics Working with Strings Combine and Manipulate Strings

enoch okyere
enoch okyere
4,681 Points

What is wrong with this syntax? let msg = firstName + ' ' + lastName + ':' + ' ' + role + '.';

app.js
let firstName;
let lastName;
let role = 'developer';
let msg = firstName + ' ' + lastName + ':' + ' ' + role + '.';
firstName += "Enoch";
lastName += "Okyere";

Try assigning the values for first and last name with the = sign and not with +=

4 Answers

Cameron Childres
Cameron Childres
11,820 Points

Hey Enoch~

There's a couple issues here.

In the first two lines you're declaring variables but you aren't giving them any value which defaults to them being undefined.

On line 3 you build a message that accesses these variables, but they're undefined, so your message is set as: "undefined undefined: developer."

On the last two lines you're adding strings to the undefined variables, which then sets them to:

  • firstName = undefinedEnoch
  • lastName = undefinedOkyere

Note that this runs after you declare msg, so the msg variable remains unchanged.

Finally, the challenge wants you build a string that will look like "Carlos Salgado: developer". Notice that there is not a period inside this string.

To fix this you can declare the firstName and lastName variables with your first and last name from the start. You'll also want to removed the period from the msg string. I've additionally combined ":" and " " in to ": " for simplicity:

let firstName = 'Cameron';
let lastName = 'Childres';
let role = 'developer';
let msg = firstName + ' ' + lastName + ': ' + role;

If you wanted this to work with the addition assignment operator to build the variables you could initialize firstName and lastName with empty strings to avoid them being undefined:

let firstName = '';
let lastName = '';
firstName += 'Cameron';
lastName += 'Childres';
let role = 'developer';
let msg = firstName + ' ' + lastName + ': ' + role;
LaToya Legemah
LaToya Legemah
12,600 Points

I ran your code and did not receive an error message. What error are you receiving? Your syntax for msg is correct.

Heidi Fryzell
seal-mask
MOD
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Heidi Fryzell
Front End Web Development Treehouse Moderator 25,178 Points

Hi Enoch,

let firstName = 'Enoch';
let lastName = 'Okyere';
let role = 'developer';
let msg = firstName + ' ' + lastName + ': ' + role;

I think you need to assign the firstName and lastName variables before the msg variable so they can be used in the msg variable.

Also double check your msg variable, it has to match exactly the output specified in the challenge. I think you have an extra "." at the end.

Happy Coding!

enoch okyere
enoch okyere
4,681 Points

Thank you all so much I was having trouble getting past the challenge question. Now I have gotten through it! Thanks for all of your helpful advice means a lot!!