Parsing Functions
parseInt() and parseFloat() convert their arguments to numbers: parseFloat("12.34"); //returns 12.34 parseInt("12.34"); //returns 12 parseFloat("12.34 ft"); //returns 12.34 parseInt("111", 2); //returns 7 parseFloat("$12.34"); //returns NaN
A handy trick: var numeric_val = string_val - 0;