factorial javascript code?

Question

I wrote this code for a factorial in JS using a for loop but it is not displaying the desired output.

what is wrong with my code?

var solution;
for (x = 12; x > 0; x -= 1) {
    for (y = 12; y > 0; y -= 1){
        solution = y * x; 
    }
} console.log(solution);

Answer 1

You aren't using solution when you redefine it, so basically you are computing

solution = 1 * 1;

Your code seems to have nothing to do with factorial or recursion (which requires a funtion definition)?

Answer 2

A factorial for 12 is 12 * 11 * 10 ... * 2 * 1.

To write that in a loop you would want to multiply the result of the previous iteration by the current one like so.

var solution = 1;
for (x = 12; x > 0; x -= 1) {
  solution = solution*x
} 
console.log(solution);

Your example will end with y and x being 1. Thus outputting 1*1. You need to save the result of the previous operation.

I recommend you follow the community rules for future questions, I don't want to discourage you from this community either, but please google in the future.

Answer 3

Your inner for loop isn't necessary. You need to set an initial condition (ie setting the solution initially being 1) then repeatedly multiply the digits from 12 to 1 to that initial condition.

Using a for loop is known as 'iterative' rather than recursive.

To do it recursively you need to at least define a function. Learning how to think recursively is really something you should google though.

Either way, both ways are pretty rudimentary for finding factorials and it doesn't really matter which you use.

 // Iterative var solution = 1, number = 12, x, y; for (x = number; x > 0; x -= 1) { solution *= x; } console.log(solution); // Recursive function fact(n){ if(n == 1) return 1; else return n * fact(n - 1); } console.log(fact(number))

Answer 4

 var fact = 1; function factorial(n) { for (; n > 1; n--) { fact *= n; } return fact; } console.log(factorial(8));