freeCodeCamp/curriculum/challenges/english/02-javascript-algorithms-and-data-structures/basic-javascript/comparison-with-the-equality-operator.md

---
id: 56533eb9ac21ba0edf2244d0
title: Comparison with the Equality Operator
challengeType: 1
videoUrl: 'https://scrimba.com/c/cKyVMAL'
forumTopicId: 16784
dashedName: comparison-with-the-equality-operator
---

# --description--

There are many <dfn>comparison operators</dfn> in JavaScript. All of these operators return a boolean `true` or `false` value.

The most basic operator is the equality operator `==`. The equality operator compares two values and returns `true` if they're equivalent or `false` if they are not. Note that equality is different from assignment (`=`), which assigns the value on the right of the operator to a variable on the left.

```js
function equalityTest(myVal) {
  if (myVal == 10) {
    return "Equal";
  }
  return "Not Equal";
}
```

If `myVal` is equal to `10`, the equality operator returns `true`, so the code in the curly braces will execute, and the function will return `Equal`. Otherwise, the function will return `Not Equal`. In order for JavaScript to compare two different <dfn>data types</dfn> (for example, `numbers` and `strings`), it must convert one type to another. This is known as Type Coercion. Once it does, however, it can compare terms as follows:

```js
1   ==  1  // true
1   ==  2  // false
1   == '1' // true
"3" ==  3  // true
```

# --instructions--

Add the equality operator to the indicated line so that the function will return the string `Equal` when `val` is equivalent to `12`.

# --hints--

`testEqual(10)` should return the string `Not Equal`

```js
assert(testEqual(10) === 'Not Equal');
```

`testEqual(12)` should return the string `Equal`

```js
assert(testEqual(12) === 'Equal');
```

`testEqual("12")` should return the string `Equal`

```js
assert(testEqual('12') === 'Equal');
```

You should use the `==` operator

```js
assert(code.match(/==/g) && !code.match(/===/g));
```

# --seed--

## --seed-contents--

```js
// Setup
function testEqual(val) {
  if (val) { // Change this line
    return "Equal";
  }
  return "Not Equal";
}

testEqual(10);
```

# --solutions--

```js
function testEqual(val) {
  if (val == 12) {
    return "Equal";
  }
  return "Not Equal";
}
```