//from c to f and f to c switchable var sort = "celcius"; function change() { if (sort == "celcius") { //this line doesn't run, the rest does: document.getElementById("input").placeholder = "°F"; var sort = "farenheid"; console.log(sort); } else { console.log("farenheid"); } } function convert(degrees) { return degrees * 1.8 + 32; } function convertdegrees() { var degrees = document.getElementById("input").value; document.getElementById("temp").innerHTML = convert(degrees) + text; };