Ruby Convert Array to List

1. Introduction

In Ruby, the terms 'array' and 'list' are often used interchangeably. Both refer to an ordered collection of items that are indexed by an integer. Ruby's Array class provides the functionality of what is traditionally known as a list in other programming languages. This post will address a common point of confusion and clarify that in Ruby, converting an array to a list simply means manipulating or reusing the array since they are fundamentally the same.

2. Program Steps

1. Define the array (which is also considered a list in Ruby).

2. (Optional) Perform operations on the array if we want to manipulate it in a way that is more typical of lists in other programming languages.

3. Code Program

# Step 1: Define the array
array = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
# Step 2 (Optional): Perform list-like operations on the array
# For example, appending an item to the array, which is a common list operation
array << 6
# The array (or list) now includes the new item

Output:

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Explanation:

1. array is the collection of integers we defined.

2. array << 6 is using the shovel operator (<<) to append the integer 6 to the end of the array, simulating a list append operation.


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