Computer programs spend nearly all their time manipulating data or waiting for data to arrive from elsewhere. We type in words, phrases, and numbers; listen to music; and watch videos, while the computer performs calculations, makes decisions, and relays information to us. To write computer programs, it’s essential to understand the basics of data and its manipulation.
This chapter looks at some of the basic forms of data that Ruby supports, along with how to work with and manipulate them. The topics covered in this chapter will provide the majority of the foundation of knowledge ...