Array modification (push, pop, shift, unshift) in Ruby - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Array modification (push, pop, shift, unshift)

📖 Scenario: You are managing a simple to-do list app. You need to add and remove tasks from your list using basic array methods.

🎯 Goal: Build a Ruby program that modifies an array of tasks by adding and removing items using push, pop, shift, and unshift.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create an array called tasks with initial tasks

Add a new task to the end of the tasks array using push

Remove the last task from the tasks array using pop

Remove the first task from the tasks array using shift

Add a new task to the beginning of the tasks array using unshift

Print the final tasks array

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Managing lists of tasks or items is common in apps like to-do lists, shopping lists, or event planners.

💼 Career

Understanding how to modify arrays is essential for many programming jobs, especially those involving data manipulation and user interfaces.

1

Create the initial tasks array

Create an array called tasks with these exact strings: 'wash dishes', 'do laundry', 'buy groceries'

Ruby

# Create the tasks array with the given tasks
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use square brackets [] to create an array and separate items with commas.

2

Add a new task to the end

Use push to add the string 'clean room' to the end of the tasks array

Ruby

tasks = ['wash dishes', 'do laundry', 'buy groceries']
# Add 'clean room' to the end of tasks
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use tasks.push('clean room') to add the task at the end.

3

Remove the last task

Use pop to remove the last task from the tasks array

Ruby

tasks = ['wash dishes', 'do laundry', 'buy groceries']
tasks.push('clean room')
# Remove the last task from tasks
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use tasks.pop to remove the last item from the array.

4

Remove the first task and add a new one at the start

Use shift to remove the first task from tasks, then use unshift to add the string 'pay bills' to the beginning of tasks. Finally, print the tasks array.

Ruby

tasks = ['wash dishes', 'do laundry', 'buy groceries']
tasks.push('clean room')
tasks.pop
# Remove the first task
# Add 'pay bills' to the start
# Print the tasks array
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use tasks.shift to remove the first item and tasks.unshift('pay bills') to add a new item at the start. Use print(tasks) to show the final array.