# Returning more than one value

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/returning-more-than-one-value/75113>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [March 1, 2006, 8:18am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/returning-more-than-one-value/75113 "2006-03-01T08:18:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pool007](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@pool007](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pool007)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 8:18am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/returning-more-than-one-value/75113/1 "2006-03-01T08:18:48Z")

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Hi group.

I’ve tested the following:

irb(main):001:0\> def foo  
irb(main):002:1\> 1,2  
irb(main):003:1\> end  
SyntaxError: compile error  
(irb):2: parse error, unexpected ‘,’, expecting kEND  
1,2  
^  
from (irb):3  
from :0  
irb(main):004:0\> def foo  
irb(main):005:1\> return 1,2  
irb(main):006:1\> end  
=\> nil  
irb(main):007:0\> a,b = foo  
=\> [1, 2]  
irb(main):008:0\> a  
=\> 1  
irb(main):009:0\> b  
=\> 2  
irb(main):010:0\>

So, the bottom line is “1,2” simply fails, but “return 1,2” succeeds.  
However, as you know,

def bar  
1  
end

does return 1.

Why does 1,2 fail? Is there any reason?

Thank for your time.

Sincerely,  
Minkoo S.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pool007](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@pool007](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pool007)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 12:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/returning-more-than-one-value/75113/2 "2006-03-01T12:48:53Z")

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1, 2 is not a valid expression using ruby syntax. Use something like  
the following:

def my\_action  
[1, 2]  
end

first, last = my\_action

You return multiple values simply by returning an array which can then  
be automatically split across a series of variables using Ruby’s  
parallel assignment.