def number_of_pluses_before_an_equal(reaction):
    """
    Args:
        reaction (str) - reaction with correctly formatted spacing
        
    Returns (int):
        number_of - the number of pluses before the arrow `=>`
        
    Example:
        >>>number_of_pluses_before_an_equal("C6H12O6 + 6O2=> 6CO2 + 6H2O")
        1
    """
    number_of = 0
    # so we don't have to worry about (i - 1) < 0
    reac = reaction.strip()
    for i in range(1, len(reaction)):
        if reaction[i] == "=":
            return number_of
        
        if i > 0:
            #  and reaction[i+1] == " " is omitted because of formatting reasons
            if reaction[i] == "+" and reaction[i-1] == " ":
                number_of += 1
                
    return number_of