But the specification is to print the number, not the character with the character code corresponding to the number. So unlike your "correction", his code does

But the specification is to print the number, not the character with the character code corresponding to the number. So unlike your "correction", his code does what it should. Admittedly, having a variable that contains either an integer or a string is atrocious programming style, but some people do actually like languages that allow that, so it is par for the course in the given situation.