freeCodeCamp/curriculum/challenges/english/02-javascript-algorithms-and-data-structures/basic-javascript/initializing-variables-with-the-assignment-operator.md

---
id: 56533eb9ac21ba0edf2244a9
title: Initializing Variables with the Assignment Operator
challengeType: 1
videoUrl: 'https://scrimba.com/c/cWJ4Bfb'
forumTopicId: 301171
---

# --description--

It is common to <dfn>initialize</dfn> a variable to an initial value in the same line as it is declared.

`var myVar = 0;`

Creates a new variable called `myVar` and assigns it an initial value of `0`.

# --instructions--

Define a variable `a` with `var` and initialize it to a value of `9`.

# --hints--

You should initialize `a` to a value of `9`.

```js
assert(/var\s+a\s*=\s*9\s*/.test(code));
```

# --seed--

## --after-user-code--

```js
if(typeof a !== 'undefined') {(function(a){return "a = " + a;})(a);} else { (function() {return 'a is undefined';})(); }
```

## --seed-contents--

```js
```

# --solutions--

```js
var a = 9;
```