Hello, I am trying to learn javascript using the W3Schools tutorial. I have come across a lesson on for loops that I do not understand. Can someone point me to a place to get an explanation or maybe explain this to me. I want to understand so I can write the code, not just copy and paste someone else's.
If this is not the appropriate place to post questions regarding the tutorial, I apologize in advance, please point me in the right direction.
Here is the example given in the tutorial:
First:
<!DOCTYPE html><html><body>
<p>Click the button to loop through a block of code five times.</p><button onclick="myFunction()">Try it</button><p id="demo"></p>
<script>function myFunction(){x="";for (var i=0;i<5;i++) { x=x + "The number is " + i + "<br>"; }document.write(x);}</script>
</body></html>
Second:
<!DOCTYPE html><html><body>
<script>cars=["BMW","Volvo","Saab","Ford"];for (var i=0;i<cars.length;i++){document.write("My car is a " + cars + "<br>");}</script>
</body></html>
So my question revolves around the string variable x in the first example. Why is this needed? it is not required when iterating through the cars array in the second example. If I remove the x in the x=x + .... code the function outputs 4--the last number in the condition.
if I substitute [document.write(i + "<br />");] or [document.write(x + i + "<br />");] for the x=x + ..bit of code to execute, the output is 0 in either case.
If I change the x=""; to x="something"; then that (something) appears at the very beginning of the first line of output but does not repeat at the beginning of each line up to 4 as I would expect.
Help, what am I missing?
Thank you,
bigPiner.