CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptfunctionmath
Nicolae Stroncea
Nicolae Stroncea

Reputation: 627

function with Math.min() returns first element

I have this simple question where I pass an input made of several numbers to the my function, and want it to output the smallest number. 

question7 = function(input){
    minimum = Math.min(input);
    console.log(minimum);
}
question7(5,-2,0,1);

Why does the console output 5?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 594

Answers (3)

bluetoft
bluetoft

Reputation: 5443

You are only passing 5 to Math.min because that is the first parameter you're calling the question7 function with. You want to pass all the arguments or parameters to Math.min

In this case you could leverage apply.

var question7 = function() {
    var minimum = Math.min.apply(Math, arguments);
    console.log(minimum)
}

question7(5,-2,0,1);

apply takes an array like object and spreads it out into individual arguments and applies them to this argument, in this case Math

So for this example it takes everything you call question7with and applies them to Math.min function.

In Javascript arguments is a reserved keyword/variable which holds all the parameters which a function was called with.

Upvotes: 3

P.S.
P.S.

Reputation: 16384

In your code you have passed only 5, because your function accepts only one argument. Try this: 

question7 = function(input) {
    var minimum = Math.min(...input);
    console.log(minimum);
}
question7([5, -2, 0, 1]);

Here i'm passing an array of numbers and then, in var minimum = Math.min(...input); row i have used the spread syntax ... before the argument.

For more info about ...: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/Spread_operator

Upvotes: 3

Андрій Кукуруза
Андрій Кукуруза

Reputation: 31

Because yours function is taken one parameter input

Upvotes: 1

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