# error message

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/error-message/657141
**Category:** web dev
**Created:** [February 22, 2023, 9:44pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/error-message/657141 "2023-02-22T21:44:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![asparker](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/asparker/32/20942_2.png) [@asparker](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/asparker)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2023, 9:44pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/error-message/657141/1 "2023-02-22T21:44:12Z")

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alert(“3 times 4” + equals + v1 \* v2); I received an error message so I fixed it to this  
alert(“3 times 4 equals” + v1 \* v2); and it now works but my question is why does it now work when I moved the “” and removed the + sign?  
Thank you I’m just beginning to learn JavaScript

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### Author: ![PAEz](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/paez/32/19607_2.png) [@PAEz](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/PAEz)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2023, 10:57pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/error-message/657141/2 "2023-02-22T22:57:18Z")

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Because in the first one `equals` doesnt have quotes around it so javascript thinks you are using a variable named `equals` but because `equals` doesnt exist as variable you got an error. If you had of looked at the console of your browser you would have seen an error saying so. If you where to write it as `alert(“3 times 4 ” + "equals" + v1 * v2);` it would have also worked because js would be adding a string and not the value of a variable called `equals` that didnt exist.

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### Author: ![asparker](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/asparker/32/20942_2.png) [@asparker](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/asparker)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2023, 12:03am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/error-message/657141/3 "2023-02-23T00:03:25Z")

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Thank you so much for helping me understand!

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### Author: ![kirupa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/kirupa/32/11616_2.png) [@kirupa](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/kirupa)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2023, 6:58am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/error-message/657141/4 "2023-02-23T06:58:56Z")

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Welcome to the forums @asparker 😀

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### Author: ![asparker](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/asparker/32/20942_2.png) [@asparker](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/asparker)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/error-message/657141/5 "2023-02-27T17:42:55Z")

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Thank you! I’m just learning JavaScript and will probably have many questions

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### Author: ![kirupa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/kirupa/32/11616_2.png) [@kirupa](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/kirupa)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/error-message/657141/6 "2023-02-27T17:47:53Z")

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We are here to help, so don’t hesitate to ask any question, big or small! 🥳