# +@ and -@ methods? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [April 24, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/and-methods/92809 "2007-04-24T14:00:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/and-methods/92809/1 "2007-04-24T14:00:33Z")
Hi all, Mostly when I do instance.methods.sort in irb, the list contains +@ and -@ what are these methods and how used. I’ll appreciate if someone helps me with this. Reagrds Gaurav V Bagga ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/and-methods/92809/2 "2007-04-24T14:06:34Z")
Sorry I forgot to mention when I do 1.methods.sort ,Is it something to do with unary operations? ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 2:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/and-methods/92809/3 "2007-04-24T14:35:43Z")
Hi, On 4/24/07, gaurav bagga [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Sorry I forgot to mention > when I do 1.methods.sort ,Is it something to do with unary operations? 1 is an object of type Integer 1.methods is a method in the Object Integer (which outputs an Array of methods for the integer) and .sort is a method on an Object of Type Array (which sorts the contents of the Array) > On 4/24/07, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Hi all, > > > > Mostly when I do instance.methods.sort in irb, the list contains +@ > > and -@ what are these methods and how used. > > I’ll appreciate if someone helps me with this. From the pickaxe book +@ is a unary + operator simply returns the receivers value and -@ returns the negated value for Numeric Objects (floats / Integers) > – > Cheers > Gaurav > [http://java-n-coffee.blogspot.com](http://java-n-coffee.blogspot.com) > [http://rorwebser.blogspot.com](http://rorwebser.blogspot.com) > [http://eclipsetrip.blogspot.com](http://eclipsetrip.blogspot.com) – अभिजीत [written in [http://www.paahijen.com/scratchpad](http://www.paahijen.com/scratchpad)] [[http://www.paahijen.com](http://www.paahijen.com)]