diff --git a/public/index.js b/public/index.js
index e53bfafa5965c6bbb5bcdb23468efa0081d489e4..b56bdf6083e93728361bd0bc05469e93bc9abdfc 100644
--- a/public/index.js
+++ b/public/index.js
@@ -101,13 +101,13 @@ function showFeedbackForm() {
 // function readerLevelChangeEvent: listens for change in reader level dropdown
 // and sets selected value to property readerLevel on inputObj
 function readerLevelChangeEvent(event) {
-    inputObj.readerLevel = event.target.value;
+    inputObj.readerLevel = parseInt(event.target.value);
 }
 
 // function readerCategoryChangeEvent: listens for change in reader category dropdown
 // and sets selected value to property readerCategory on inputObj
 function readerCategoryChangeEvent(event) {
-    inputObj.readerCategory = event.target.value;
+    inputObj.readerCategory = parseInt(event.target.value);
 }
 
 
@@ -127,6 +127,15 @@ function calculateReadingTime() {
             // inputObj.readerLevel has level of reader (string data type)
             // inputObj.readerCategory has category of reader (string data type)
 
+            
+        // example calculation
+        x = (inputObj.textLength * inputObj.readerLevel * inputObj.readerCategory);
+
+
+    
+        // set value to html element
+        var s= document.getElementById('reading-time-element');
+        s.innerHTML = x;
         // display html element which shows time
         let element = document.getElementById('calculate-time-element');
         element.style.display = "block";