# Not equal? "5".to\_i+ "6".to\_i and "5".to\_i +"6".to\_i

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-equal-5-to-i-6-to-i-and-5-to-i-6-to-i/84432>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [February 4, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-equal-5-to-i-6-to-i-and-5-to-i-6-to-i/84432 "2007-02-04T14:45:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cap)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-equal-5-to-i-6-to-i-and-5-to-i-6-to-i/84432/1 "2007-02-04T14:45:37Z")

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ruby 1.8.5 (2006-12-25 patchlevel 12) [i686-linux]

> > “5”.to\_i+ “6”.to\_i  
> > =\> 11
> 
> > “5”.to\_i +“6”.to\_i  
> > =\> 5

maybe it’s a mistak?

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**Author:** ![cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cap)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 2:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-equal-5-to-i-6-to-i-and-5-to-i-6-to-i/84432/2 "2007-02-04T14:58:38Z")

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> > > “5”.to\_i+ “6”.to\_i  
> > > =\> 11
> > 
> > > “5”.to\_i +“6”.to\_i  
> > > =\> 5

The second case +“6”.to\_i is treated as an argument for to\_i method.  
This will make it more obvious:

> > “111”.to\_i +“2”.to\_i  
> > =\> 7

“111”.to\_i +“2”.to\_i is equivalent to “111”.to\_i(2), hence the result.

Regards,  
Rimantas

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**Author:** ![cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cap)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-equal-5-to-i-6-to-i-and-5-to-i-6-to-i/84432/3 "2007-02-04T15:12:40Z")

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“cap” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) writes:

> ruby 1.8.5 (2006-12-25 patchlevel 12) [i686-linux]
> 
> > > “5”.to\_i+ “6”.to\_i  
> > > =\> 11

so, you’re calling “5”.to\_i.+(“6”.to\_i), ie. “5”.to\_i.+(6),  
ie. 5.+(6), ie. 11

> > > “5”.to\_i +“6”.to\_i

you’re calling “5”.to\_i(+“6”.to\_i), ie. “5”.to\_i(6),  
ie. “5” converted in base 6, ie 5

Rule of thumb : always put spaces around operators…

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**Author:** ![cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cap)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-equal-5-to-i-6-to-i-and-5-to-i-6-to-i/84432/4 "2007-02-05T14:40:30Z")

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On Feb 4, 10:12 pm, Eric J. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> “cap” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) writes:
> 
> > ruby 1.8.5 (2006-12-25 patchlevel 12) [i686-linux]

Thanks very much!  
I got it

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**Author:** ![cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@cap](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cap)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-equal-5-to-i-6-to-i-and-5-to-i-6-to-i/84432/5 "2007-02-04T15:16:41Z")

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Eric J. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) writes:

> you’re calling “5”.to\_i(+“6”.to\_i), ie. “5”.to\_i(6),  
> ie. “5” converted in base 6, ie 5

Ooops… i wanted to say “5” in base 6, converted to int…