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Practice Ruby Methods

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Introducing the Practice

1:04 with Jay McGavren

Let's practice some basic Ruby to make sure that everything you've learned so far sticks. We'll review how to define a method that accepts some parameters and returns a value, and then how to call that method.

Ruby math operators

These are covered in more detail in the Math Operations and Operator Precedence videos in the Ruby Basics course, but here's enough to get you by for now:

Add two numbers:

2 + 1

Subtract two numbers:

2 - 1

Multiply two numbers:

2 * 2

You can also do math operations on numeric values stored in variables:

length = 2
width = 4
puts length * width

You can ensure one operation takes place before any others by surrounding it with parentheses:

# Add length and width, THEN double the result
(length + width) * 2

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    [MUSIC] 0:00
    Let's practise some basic Ruby to make sure that everything you've learnt so 0:04
    far sticks. 0:08
    We'll review had to define a method that accepts some parameters and 0:08
    returns a value and then how to call that method. 0:11
    We're going to ask you to build a simple Ruby program that calculates the area and 0:13
    perimeter of a rectangle. 0:18
    I've attached a workspace to this video which includes 0:19
    a rectangle.rb starter file with instructions as Ruby comments. 0:23
    You should open the workspace now. 0:27
    If you have Ruby installed on your computer, 0:30
    you can choose File > Download Workspace, and then edit and 0:32
    run the files locally or you can just set it and run everything in the workspace. 0:36
    Write your code in the rectangle.rb file and save your work. 0:41
    Then, switch to the terminal and type rubyrectangle.rb to run your program. 0:44
    I've linked to some videos in the teachers notes, 0:50
    which you can refer to if you get stuck. 0:52
    After you've written your program, 0:54
    you can proceed to the next video where you can compare my solution to yours. 0:56
    Ready? 1:00
    Get started on your program. 1:00
    I'll show you my version in the next video. 1:02

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