# Newbie help, please **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [April 26, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-help-please/166523 "2009-04-26T21:47:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vh1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vh1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/vh1)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-help-please/166523/1 "2009-04-26T21:47:43Z")
Hello all, I am a complete novice to programming. I have chosen Ruby as my first language. I am attempting to follow some tutorials in a book I have. However, I am running into some errors, and can not figure out why. Can you please guide me? It appears I am having trouble mixing both integers with strings. For example, if I try: puts 2+4 ’ is the sum of 2+4.’ I get an error. In relation to the current exercise I am doing I am attempting to ask a user for a number, and then have the computer tell them a bigger number is better. Below is my attempted code: puts ‘Hello, what is your favorite number?’ number = gets.chomp better = number.to\_i+1 puts number + '?? Don\t you know that ’ + better + ‘is a superior selection?’ That does not work though. However if I do: puts ‘Hello, what is your favorite number?’ number = gets.chomp better = number.to\_i+1 puts better That works. But I would like a string to go along with the answer. How do you mix arithmetic(or integers) and strings together? Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![vh1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vh1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/vh1)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-help-please/166523/2 "2009-04-26T22:01:29Z")
Of course after I post, I figure out the solution! puts ‘Hello, what is your favorite number?’ number = gets.chomp better = number.to\_i+1 puts number.to\_s + ‘?? Aren’t you aware that ’ + better.to\_s + ’ is a far better choice?’ Is that the best way to accomplish this? You can’t mix strings and integers- at all? Period? Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![vh1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vh1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/vh1)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-help-please/166523/3 "2009-04-27T23:58:21Z")
On Sunday 26 April 2009 15:01:37 Mike W. wrote: > integers- at all? Period? > As others have said, the best way is most likely string interpolation. > I’d do > it like this: number = gets.chomp.to\_i puts “#{number}?? Aren’t you aware that #{number+1} is a far better choice?” The double-quotes allow interpolation. The following is roughly equivalent, but will likely execute slower: number = gets.chomp.to\_i puts number.to\_s + ‘?? Aren’t you aware that ’ + (number+1).to\_s + ’ is a far better choice?’ Or, another way: print number print ‘?? Aren’t you aware that ’ print number + 1 puts ’ is a far better choice?’ You absolutely can mix them, you just have to explicitly convert them, or use them in a context where this is done for you. For instance, ‘print’ and ‘puts’ will call to\_s on whatever you pass them. ‘p’ will call inspect on whatever you pass it. ---
**Author:** ![vh1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vh1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/vh1)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-help-please/166523/4 "2009-04-26T22:02:05Z")
On Sun, Apr 26, 2009 at 3:47 PM, Mike W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Hello all, > > I am a complete novice to programming. I have chosen Ruby as my first > language. > How do you mix arithmetic(or integers) and strings together? Probably the most idiomatic way is to use string interpolation. Within a double quoted string you can put a Ruby expression in #{ } delimiters. The expression will be evaluated and to\_s will be sent to the result replacing the delimited expression so: Instead of > > puts 2+4 ’ is the sum of 2+4.’ I would probably use: puts “#{2+4} is the sum of 2+4” and for > puts number + '?? Don\t you know that ’ + better + ‘is a superior selection?’ puts “#{number}'?? Don\t you know that #{better} is a superior selection?” – Rick DeNatale Blog: [http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/](http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/) Twitter: [http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale](http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale) WWR: [http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale](http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale) LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale)