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How do I create an int variable to store user input? I tried the code below, but when I put in a number it comes out with some random 6 digit number. My assignment is:

Write a complete, commented, stand-alone MIPS program
to include the same function as this C code procedure:

int assn9(int K){
if(K<0){return(-K);}
if(K<7){return(K-2);}
return((K-1)*2));
}

Name the SPIM source file assn9.s (submit this file)

[] Prompt the user for input K,
be sure to echo the input and tell the user how the program ends.
[] Call the (assembler version of) the function assn9()
above to find the value of assn9(K)
[] Print the result and go back to the initial prompt.
[] When K=0, exit the program.

.data     #let processor know we will be submitting data to program now

insert_into:
    .word 4 #make a 4 byte (32 bit) space in memory for an int with address insert_into

Ask_Input:
    .asciiz "Please enter a number: \n" #asks user for an integer

Tell_Output:
    .asciiz "You typed in: " #message to display the input integer


    .text      #beginning of code


main:        #main function (user interface)

    la $a0, Ask_Input     #load address Ask_Input from memory and store it into arguement register 0
    li $v0, 4         #loads the value 4 into register $v0 which is the op code for print string
    syscall         #reads register $v0 for op code, sees 4 and prints the string located in $a0

    la $a0, insert_into     #sets $a0 to point to the space allocated for writing an int
    la $a1, insert_into     #gets the length of the space in $a1 so we can't go over the memory limit 
    li $v0, 5         #load op code for getting an int from the user into register $v0
    syscall         #reads register $v0 for op code, sees 8 and asks user to input a string, places string in reference to $a0

    la $a0, Tell_Output     #load address Tell_Output from memory and store it into arguement register 0
    li $v0, 4         #loads the value 4 into register $v0 which is the op code for print string
    syscall         #reads register $v0 for op code, sees 4 and prints the string located in $a0

    la $a0, insert_into     #load address insert_into from memory and store it into arguement register 0
    li $v0, 1         #loads the value 1 into register $v0 which is the op code for print int
    syscall         #reads register $v0 for op code, sees 1 and prints the integer located in $a0

    li $v0, 10         #loads op code into $v0 to exit program
    syscall         #reads $v0 and exits program