Staircase

Staircase class

How to add a Staircase to your online study.

1. Add the Staircase JavaScript file to your code

Either

Add import "staircase.js" to your JavaScript code

Or

Add <script src="staircase.js"></script> to your HTML code

2. Create the Staircase

Create a new variable for the Staircase. In this example, it is called myStaircase.

let myStaircase

Then, initialise the Staircase.

myStaircase = new Staircase()

The default parameters are:

myStaircase = new Staircase(
  min = 1, max = 10, start = min,
  up = {increment: +1, repeatsToMove: 1},
  down = {increment: -1, repeatsToMove: 1}
)

Parameter	Type	Default
min	number	1	Lowest level on the staircase
max	number	10	Highest level on the staircase
start	number	min	Starting position on the staircase
up.increment	int	+1	Number of steps and direction when moving "up"
up.repeatsToMove	int	1	Number of consecutive `moveUp()` before moving "up"
down.increment	int	-1	Number of steps and direction when moving "down"
down.repeatsToMove	int	1	Number of consecutive `moveDown()` before moving "down"

3. Using the Staircase

Call myStaircase.moveUp() to attempt to move up the staircase. If the number of consecutive repeats of moveUp() equals up.repeatsToMove, the move will succeed. Likewise, use myStaircase.moveDown() to attempt a move downwards.

Example

if (response == correctAnswer) {
  myStaircase.moveUp()
} else {
  myStaircase.moveDown()
}

myStaircase contains various properties that can be accessed and modified.

Example

if (myStaircase.reversals >= 5) {
  // do something
}

Property	Type	Default starting value
.minimum	number	1	Lowest level on the staircase
.maximum	number	10	Highest level on the staircase
.up	object	{increment: +1, repeatsToMove: 1}	Parameters for moving "up" the staircase
.down	object	{increment: -1, repeatsToMove: 1}	Parameters for moving "down" the staircase
.currentStep	number	start	Current step on the staircase
.repeats	object	{up: 0, down: 0}	Current number of consecutive repeats
.reversals	number	0	Number of reversals
.lastStepDirection	string	null	Direction of the last successful step change: `up`, `down`
.history	number[]	empty array	History of all steps on the staircase. The position is recorded even if the move did not occur, i.e. repeatsToMove not fulfilled