Passing in a literal string value to a function

Question

The challenge question asks to pass in a literal string value - giving the sample "My argument" - and store the results in a variable called echo. I passed the challenge but realized i didn't use quote marks when I passed in the argument. I know using quote marks means the value is a string. But what is the difference between this code:

function returnValue(singleArgument) { return singleArgument; }

var echo = returnValue("My Argument");

and this code:

function returnValue("singleArgument") { return singleArgument; }

var echo = returnValue("My Argument");

Could I have written the return statement like this?

function returnValue("singleArgument") { return "singleArgument"; }

var echo = returnValue("My Argument");

script.js

function returnValue(singleArgument) {
  return singleArgument;
}

var echo = returnValue("My Argument");

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>

Answer 1 · 2015-02-18T16:02:58Z

February 18, 2015 4:02pm

function returnValue("singleArgument") { return "singleArgument"; }

Could I have written the return statement like this?

No, doing that will get you a syntax error. When defining a function in JavaScript, it accepts only parameters, 0 or more. And String literal is not a valid name of function parameter; Only when calling the function, you can pass a string literal to it as argument.

Answer 2 · 2015-02-18T16:06:53Z

February 18, 2015 4:06pm

Thanks, William

Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Looking to learn something new?

R R

R R

Passing in a literal string value to a function

var echo = returnValue("My Argument");

and this code:

var echo = returnValue("My Argument");

Could I have written the return statement like this?

2 Answers

William Li

William Li

R R

R R