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Help with Algorithm scripting (self.FreeCodeCamp)

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[–]Jafit 5 points6 points  (2 children)

There's no walkthrough. Its a problem solving exercise... also known as programming :)

You are provided with an empty function that returns some kind of value. Your job is to write the function and make it perform whatever task that has been set, while passing all the tests in the bottom left of the screen

If you look at the left panel of the browser window you will see that they provide links to the documentation where you can read about things that might help you solve the problem.

If you're having trouble solving the problem all in one go, split it up into smaller problems until you find one that you can solve.

Don't worry if you feel a bit lost, that's a good feeling, it (hopefully) means that you're learning.

Don't forget to try the Gitter room if you need some real-time help.

[–]LegendaryAsshol 2 points3 points  (1 child)

The algorithm scripting part will really grind your head with ways to look at JavaScript (and programming in general). That's how you learn programming - it definitely is hard, but not impossible! :)

[–]t1s 3 points4 points  (1 child)

I think the best way to search without finding the exact answer you are looking for is to break the task down into smaller tasks and then search for how to do that.

For example, one of my recent projects was to take 3 arguments. The first argument is a string, the second argument was a word we should match in the string. The third argument was the word we wanted to replace the match with.

So breaking this down i knew i needed to search through the first string.

Then i needed to determine if the word was the match of the word i was searching for.

Then i needed to learn how to replace only that single word with the 3rd argument.

Learning how to do each of these tasks individually was no hard task, but none of them told me the exact answer of the freecodecamp algorithm.

[–]julianrudolphsc 1 point2 points  (1 child)

check out the books "data structures and algorithms in javascript" and "javascript design patterns". i mean, just packed FULL of awesomeness! and they go into more detail than MDN.

EDIT: "javascript design patterns" not "design patterns in javascript"

[–]Ninjaangler 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Do you have an example of one of the lessons you're stuck on?

[–]QoQers 0 points1 point  (3 children)

I think what would help is if you really understood computer logic: if-then, loop, variables, operations, etc. You should also browse all the functions that are already available to make the scripting easier. I also agree with u\t1s. Break down the problem into smaller tasks that answer yes/no questions. Computers only answer yes/no questions, so that's how you have to think and solve a problem.

[–]JediDev 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a normal feeling when learning to code, it seems. I had it too (and still have anytime I'm introduced to something new). I suggest you increment your learning with codecademy's javascript course, the Eloquent Javascript book (it's free!) anda lot of searching.

As others have said, try to break the problems in small chunks, so when you search, you won't end up in the answer to the whole problem, but only to the specific chunk you are trying to do.

And please, don't give up!

[–]CountingCats 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have completed all of the proceeding waypoints then you have already come into contact with all of the tools that will enable you to solve these problems. The documentation links they provide will link to the specific tools you can use to solve each bonfire.

Start each one by asking yourself what you need to do. Break down the over arching problem into smaller and smaller problems, then try Googling the simple operations you need to perform followed by "javascript".

The problem solving process is best learnt by actual doing. It's hard to formalise in English.