Beginner Enumerables

Learning Goals

  • Learn how to use & recreate the functionality of .map, .find_all and .find using .each
  • Understand when to use .map, .find_all and .find appropriately.
  • Learn how to explore new enumerables using Ruby docs.
  • Discuss block scope

Vocabulary

  • enumerable
  • iterate
  • map, find, find_all
  • return value
  • block scope

Warm Up

  • What is iteration and when do we use it?
  • In your notebook, write the code to that you would use to print each of the letters in this array:
    bounce_letters = ["K", "a", "n", "g", "a", "r", "o", "o"].
  • In your notebook, write the code that you would use to create a new array with capitalized versions of the following names:
    names = ['megan', 'mike', 'ian']

Intro

Earlier this week, we learned about the method #each. We used #each to iterate over a collection to accomplish a variety of tasks: transforming collections, pulling a subset of elements, and creating new things based on some or all of the elements in the collection. Because iteration is something we do on a nearly daily basis as programmers, Ruby has built some out-of-the-box tools that help us streamline the more common iteration patterns. These tools are categorized as enumerables. Enumerables are methods that take the base function of #each and build on it to simplify certain patterns of iteration.

Before we get into the enumerables themselves, let’s take a moment to form a strategy for learning all of these new methods. In a moment, you will receive a half sheet of guided notes, but for now, let’s use our notebooks to record the three key parts that we will want to know for any enumerable, including the method #each:

  • syntax
  • return value
  • best use-cases

As we walk through some of the more common enumerables, we will be recording these three parts for each enumerable in your guided notes - you will be able to use these notes as a study tool to better cement each enumerable in your mind.

Let’s start our notes with #each.
In the box labeled “Syntax”, let’s record the general syntax for an each method:

  • syntax:

    collection.each do |element|
  # the block of code here will run for each element
end

Similarly, let’s record our return value that .each gives us, and the best use-cases for .each on the lines provided in the guided notes:

  • return value - #each returns the original array
  • best use-cases - When iterating over a collection and there is not an Enumerable that specifically accomplishes the goal.

Return Values

When we were learning about #each, we learned that #each will always return the original array, and we saw that when we use #each, we need to use a placeholder to preserve the return value we are looking for, like this:

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

doubles = []

numbers.each do |number|
  doubles << number * 2
end

p doubles

Knowing what we do about methods and return values, can you guess what the following code snippet would return? Discuss with your parter, then we’ll run the code for the class.

def double(numbers)
  doubles = []

  numbers.each do |number|
    doubles << number * 2
  end
end

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
p double(numbers)

Even when we wrap an #each block inside a method, we need a placeholder to keep track of the return value that we want. This is because the return value of a method will generally be the last line of code that is run, and we can consider the #each block from do to end as a single line of code. Remember that each can be written on a single line like this: numbers.each { |number| doubles << number * 2 }

So, we would want to revise the code above to something like this to get the method to return doubles:

def double(numbers)
  doubles = []

  numbers.each do |number|
    doubles << number * 2
  end

  doubles
end

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
p double(numbers)

Now, our last line of code is doubles instead of the #each block, and the method will return what we expect.

We can also see the return value of #each if we save it to a variable:

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

doubles = []

original = numbers.each do |number|
  doubles << number * 2
end

p doubles
p original

Block Scope

Block Scope refers to what is available inside a block (everything between the do and end). Remember what we’ve been saying: local variables are local to wherever you define them. But blocks are special. Blocks DO allow you to access variables created outside of them, however, they work the same as methods in that any local variable created inside the block is local to the block. This applies to the block variable as well. You can think of a block variable like an argument to the block.

numbers = [1,2,3]
total = 0
numbers.each do |number|
  greeting = "hello"
  total += number
end

p total

In this example, we’ll see that even though we created total outside the block, it is still available inside the block. However, if we try to print the variable greeting or the block variable number after the block we will get an error.

A block is a type of closure. It encloses the surrounding variables.

map / collect

map is a lot like each.

The difference is that map actually returns whatever we do in the block. Think about how this is different from each which will always return the content of the original array.

First, let’s look at the example we used above - taking an array of the numbers, we want to end up with an array with the doubles of each of those numbers. With each, we would do it like this:

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

doubles = []

numbers.each do |number|
  doubles << number * 2
end

p doubles

Using map can make this much simpler:

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
doubles = numbers.map do |number|
  number * 2
end

p doubles

Because #map returns the new array, we can easily return it from a method like so:

def double(numbers)
  doubles = numbers.map do |number|
    number * 2
  end
end

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
p double(numbers)

Partner Practice

Let’s do some pair programming for these activities - in your break out rooms, one person will be typing code that you both agree on.

The method below returns an array of the brothers names in all caps using the method #each.

def kennedy_brothers
  brothers = ["Robert", "Ted", "Joseph", "John"]

  caps_brothers = []

  brothers.each do |brother|
    caps_brothers << brother.upcase
  end

  caps_brothers
end

Your Task Open up a ruby file, and write a method that does the same thing as the code above, but using #map. Wait to record this in your notes until we go over it with the group.

Reflection
Share your code with a small group. Talk them through it and be specific. What is similar/different? Are there any changes/additions you want to make to your own code?

find / detect

A good thing about the methods in Ruby is that you can pretty much figure out what they do just by their name.

Think About It What do you think find or detect does? What will it return?

find will return the first item from the collection that evaluates as truthy.

But before we go into how that works, let’s implement it with each.

def find_me_first_even
  numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

  numbers.each do |num|
    return num if num.even?
  end

end

We walk through the array, and upon the first number it comes across that makes the block return true, it just returns the item and we are done.

This looks like fairly simple code, but we can make it cleaner with .find.

def find_me_first_even
  numbers = [1,2,3,4,5]

  numbers.find do |num|
    num.even?
  end

end

Oh just look at that, so nice. Remember, it will return the first item for which the block returns a truthy value.

Partner Practice

Using #each, write the code to find the first sister over four letters in length. Wait to move on until we discuss this as a group.

def find_first_long_named_sister
  sisters = ["Rose", "Kathleen", "Eunice", "Patricia", "Jean"]

  ### YOUR CODE HERE
end

Your Task Open up a ruby file, and write a method that does the same thing as the code above, but using #find. Wait to record this in your notes until we go over it with the group.

Reflection
Share your code with a small group. Talk them through it and be specific. What is similar/different? Are there any changes/additions you want to make to your own code?

find_all / select

We’ve figured out how to get one matching thing out of an array, but what if we want ALL of the matching things?

Let’s start by thinking about how we would do this using our old friend, .each.

def all_the_odds
  numbers = [1,2,3,4,5]

  result = []

  numbers.each do |num|
    result << num if num.odd?
  end

  result

end

How does this look?

Not bad, but we’re stuck with that result container that we don’t like. Pay attention to this - it’s a pattern we want to keep an eye out for in the future. If we are catching things with a collector like this, there’s probably a better enumerable that we can use. So let’s use .select.

def all_the_odds
  numbers = [1,2,3,4,5]

  numbers.find_all do |num|
    num.odd?
  end

end

Partner Practice

Using #each, write the code that will return the numbers that are divisible by 3. Wait to move on until we discuss this as a group.

def find_all_nums_divisible_by_3
  numbers = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
  
  ### YOUR CODE HERE

end

Your Task Open up a ruby file, and write a method that does the same thing as the code above, but using #find_all. Wait to record this in your notes until we go over it with the group.

Reflection
Share your code with a small group. Talk them through it and be specific. What is similar/different? Are there any changes/additions you want to make to your own code?

Additional Enumerables

Now that we have walked through 3 of the most common Enumerables as a class, its time for you and your partner to do some independent research! Working with your partner, research the following Enumerables and take notes on their syntax, return value, and best use cases. Be ready to share what you find! The Enumerable Ruby docs will be a great place to start!

  • #max
  • #min
  • #max_by
  • #min_by
  • #sort_by
  • #all?
  • #any?
  • #none?
  • #one?

Final CFU

  • What do map, find, and find_all do? What do they return?
  • What makes an enumerable preferable to each?
  • What does the ? on the end of a method indicate?

Additional Exercises

The Ruby-Exercises are a great resource to get familiarized with enumerables. Enum exercises are in the enumerables tab. Read the README to get a handle on how the exercises work, then complete the map, select, and find exercises.

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