The following syntax generates an error:
5.toString();
But the following doesn't:
(5).toString();
What does the parentheses exactly do here?
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4They clarify that you're not trying to write a float. – jonrsharpe Feb 25 '19 at 16:02
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2Sheesh. Javascript is such a weird language. – Robert Harvey Feb 25 '19 at 16:03
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1you could add another dot: `5..toString();` – Nina Scholz Feb 25 '19 at 16:03
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1Even weirder. .. – Robert Harvey Feb 25 '19 at 16:04
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1See also e.g. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4046342/why-dont-number-literals-have-access-to-number-methods – jonrsharpe Feb 25 '19 at 16:04
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@NinaScholz Of course. But why can't we directly call it on the number? – Charlie Feb 25 '19 at 16:05
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1@CharlieH see the dup. – Daniel A. White Feb 25 '19 at 16:05
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3@Robert This isn't exactly unique to Javascript… – deceze Feb 25 '19 at 16:06
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First time I've ever seen it. – Robert Harvey Feb 25 '19 at 16:07
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@RobertHarvey It looks that even `5 .toString()` works! – Charlie Feb 25 '19 at 16:08
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the only reason for parentheses is if you use a negative number, then the sign is later applied and the value is now a number again. – Nina Scholz Feb 25 '19 at 16:12
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think of the **parens** containing a comma delimited list of expressions where the **value** as a whole is the last one in the list. Therefore (5).ToString() would be '5'. (1,2,3) would b e 3. ('a','b',3+5) would be 8 – gkelly Feb 25 '19 at 16:14