Times method for counted repetition in Ruby - Step-by-Step Execution

Concept Flow - Times method for counted repetition

Start with number n

↓

Call n.times do |i|

↓

Execute block with i from 0 to n-1

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Repeat until i == n-1

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Exit loop

The times method runs a block of code n times, passing the current count from 0 up to n-1.

Execution Sample

Ruby

3.times do |i|
  puts i
end

Prints numbers 0, 1, and 2 each on a new line using times method.

Execution Table

Iteration	i (block variable)	Action	Output
1	0	Execute block with i=0	0
2	1	Execute block with i=1	1
3	2	Execute block with i=2	2
Exit	-	i reached 3, loop ends	-

💡 i reaches 3, which equals n, so times loop stops

Variable Tracker

Variable	Start	After 1	After 2	After 3	Final
i	-	0	1	2	-

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does the block variable i start at 0 instead of 1?

The times method counts from 0 up to n-1, so i starts at 0 as shown in the execution_table rows 1-3.

Does the times method include the number n in the block variable?

No, the block variable i goes up to n-1. The loop exits when i reaches n, as shown in the exit row.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the value of i during the second iteration?

A 1

B 0

C 2

D 3

💡 Hint

Check the 'i (block variable)' column in the second row of execution_table.

At which iteration does the times method stop running the block?

A After iteration 2

B After iteration 3

C After iteration 4

D Never stops

💡 Hint

Look at the exit row in execution_table where i reaches 3 and loop ends.

If we change 3.times to 5.times, how many rows will the execution_table have before exit?

A 3

B 4

C 5

D 6

💡 Hint

The times method runs the block n times, so 5.times runs 5 iterations.

Concept Snapshot

times method syntax:
number.times do |i|
  # code using i
end

Runs block n times with i from 0 to n-1.
Useful for counted repetition without manual loops.
Block variable i starts at 0, ends at n-1.

Full Transcript

The times method in Ruby runs a block of code a set number of times. It starts counting from zero and goes up to one less than the number. For example, 3.times do |i| runs the block three times with i values 0, 1, and 2. Each iteration executes the block with the current i. When i reaches the number, the loop stops. This method is a simple way to repeat code a fixed number of times without writing a manual loop.