diff --git a/lib/array_equals.rb b/lib/array_equals.rb
index 58e8369..16682b6 100644
--- a/lib/array_equals.rb
+++ b/lib/array_equals.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,31 @@
 # Determines if the two input arrays have the same count of elements
 # and the same integer values in the same exact order
 def array_equals(array1, array2)
-  raise NotImplementedError
+# raise NotImplementedError
+ # contain the same count of elements
+  return true if array1 == [] && array2 == []
+  array1 = 'empty' if array1 == nil
+  array2 = 'empty' if array2 == nil
+
+  if array1 == 'empty' && array2 == 'empty'
+    return true
+  end
+
+  if  array1 == 'empty' && array2 != 'empty' ||
+      array1 != 'empty' && array2 == 'empty'
+    return false
+  end
+  return false if array1.length != array2.length
+
+# the element values in the array are the same and they are in the same exact order.
+  i = 0
+  while i < array1.length
+    if array1[i] == array2[i]
+      return true
+    else
+      return false
+    end
+  i += 1
+  end
+
 end