# Problem with ternary operator

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/problem-with-ternary-operator/2644>\
**Category:** New to Julia\
**Created:** [March 13, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/problem-with-ternary-operator/2644 "2017-03-13T19:40:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![strickek](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/strickek/32/14885_2.png) [@strickek](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/strickek)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/problem-with-ternary-operator/2644/1 "2017-03-13T19:40:35Z")

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```julia
a=("yes", "no")
isa(a,Tuple)? y,n=a : -1

```

results in error massage:

syntax: colon expected in “?” expression

any sugestions?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yuyichao](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/yuyichao/32/20_2.png) [@yuyichao](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/yuyichao)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/problem-with-ternary-operator/2644/2 "2017-03-13T19:47:21Z")

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> [@strickek](#):
>
> isa(a,Tuple)? y,n=a : -1

`isa(a,Tuple)? (y,n)=a : -1`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![strickek](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/strickek/32/14885_2.png) [@strickek](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/strickek)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/problem-with-ternary-operator/2644/3 "2017-03-13T19:51:10Z")

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thanks