ruby sort array numerically

Sorting an Array Numerically in Ruby

To sort an array numerically in Ruby, you can use the sort method along with a block that compares the elements numerically. Here's how you can do it:

array = [5, 2, 8, 1, 9]
sorted_array = array.sort { |a, b| a <=> b }

Let's break down the steps:

  1. Create an array with the elements you want to sort. In this example, the array is [5, 2, 8, 1, 9].
  2. Use the sort method on the array and pass a block that compares the elements numerically. The block uses the spaceship operator (<=>) to compare two elements. The spaceship operator returns -1 if the first element is less than the second, 0 if they are equal, and 1 if the first element is greater than the second.
  3. Assign the sorted array to a new variable, sorted_array.

After executing the code, sorted_array will contain the elements of the original array sorted in ascending order: [1, 2, 5, 8, 9].

Please note that the sort method modifies the original array in place. If you want to keep the original array unchanged, you can use the sort method with the dup method to create a copy of the array before sorting:

array = [5, 2, 8, 1, 9]
sorted_array = array.dup.sort { |a, b| a <=> b }

Now, array will remain unchanged, and sorted_array will contain the sorted elements.

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