# Question - Numbers & Variables **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [April 3, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-numbers-variables/91024 "2007-04-03T21:53:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Merrie)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-numbers-variables/91024/1 "2007-04-03T21:53:07Z")
Im currently working through the book ‘Learn to Program’ by Chris P. and I am stuck on one of the exercises. I feel like Im close to the answer but just cannot quite get it. I appreciate the help. Below is the program. What I would like to see is: What is your favorite number? 14 Well this 15 (adding 1) might be better. The error is relating to to\_i but Im not sure where to place it on the num or the +1? puts ‘What is your favorite number?’ num = gets.chomp num=num +1 puts ‘Well this ’ + num + ’ might be better.’ ---
**Author:** ![Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Merrie)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-numbers-variables/91024/2 "2007-04-03T22:12:14Z")
On Apr 3, 2007, at 2:51 PM, Merrie wrote: > What I would like to see is: What is your favorite number? 14 Well > this 15 (adding 1) might be better. The error is relating to to\_i > but Im not sure where to place it on the num or the +1? There are two errors in the script. You need to help Ruby know when to convert the objects you are working with… > puts ‘What is your favorite number?’ > num = gets.chomp > num=num +1 num = num.to\_i + 1 # we have a String, but want an Integer > puts ‘Well this ’ + num + ’ might be better.’ # now we need to go back to a String so we can concatenate puts ‘Well this ’ + num.to\_s + ’ might be better.’ Does that help? James Edward G. II ---
**Author:** ![Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Merrie)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-numbers-variables/91024/3 "2007-04-03T22:16:14Z")
James, thank you very much for the help! Merrie S ----- Original Message ----- From: “James Edward G. II” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) To: “ruby-talk ML” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 4:11 PM Subject: Re: Question - Numbers & Variables ---
**Author:** ![Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Merrie)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 3:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-numbers-variables/91024/4 "2007-04-04T15:52:10Z")
On Apr 3, 2:11 pm, James Edward G. II [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > puts ‘Well this ’ + num + ’ might be better.’ > > # now we need to go back to a String so we can concatenate > > puts ‘Well this ’ + num.to\_s + ’ might be better.’ Also, I usually find it more convenient to use string interpolation, as it implicitly calls the to\_s method on the value inside it: puts “Well this #{num} might be better.” ---
**Author:** ![Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Merrie)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-numbers-variables/91024/5 "2007-04-04T01:30:27Z")
Another way to do the plus one. Or the next alphabetic character, is .next so, you could get pretty crazy with: num.next something like so: puts ‘What is your favorite number?’ num = gets.chomp puts ‘Well this ’ + num.next + ’ might be better.’ in this case it goes to the next number, as a character, not as a number, but the result is the same and you don’t need to convert it. Not always what you want, but pretty nice example of how concise and convenient Ruby can be. ---
**Author:** ![Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Merrie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Merrie)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-numbers-variables/91024/6 "2007-04-04T16:06:14Z")
On Apr 4, 2007, at 8:50 AM, Phrogz wrote: > On Apr 3, 2:11 pm, James Edward G. II [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) > wrote: > > > > puts ‘Well this ’ + num + ’ might be better.’ > > > > # now we need to go back to a String so we can concatenate > > > > puts ‘Well this ’ + num.to\_s + ’ might be better.’ > > Also, I usually find it more convenient to use string interpolation, > as it implicitly calls the to\_s method on the value inside it: > puts “Well this #{num} might be better.” Me too, but Learn To Program doesn’t teach that (I wish it did!) and I didn’t want to confuse the issue. 😉 James Edward G. II