diff --git a/src/parser.c b/src/parser.c
index 97eef8d..cd7c9ed 100644
--- a/src/parser.c
+++ b/src/parser.c
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 // - ASK ABOUT OFFSET CALCULATION
 // - CREATE FUNC TO TIDY UP OPERANDS IN DP
 
+//takes inputted char array and returns the integer of the operand, skipping the first character
+//e.g. for a passed "R32", it skips the 'R' and returns 32
 int getOperandNumber(char *operand){
     char *operandCpy = strcpy(operandCpy, operand);
     operandCpy++;
@@ -159,11 +161,7 @@ void classifyOpcode(char* opcode, a64inst_instruction *instr, char *operandList[
             instr->type = a64inst_LOADLITERAL;
             if(operandList[0][0] =='#'){
                 //offset is immediate
-                char *immOffset = NULL;
-                immOffset = strcpy(immOffset, operandList[0]);
-                immOffset++;
-                char *endptr = NULL;
-                int offset = strtol(immOffset, &endptr, 10);
+                int offset = getOperandNumber(operandList[0]);
                 instr->data.SingleTransferData.processOpData.loadLiteralData.offset = offset;
             } else {
                 //offset is literal, use symbol table and calculate difference