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Ruby Ruby Booleans Build a Simple Todo List Program Returning Boolean Values: Part 1

Empty? method (returning Boolean values)

Okay, so I've gotten things up to this point as the syntax is fairly straightforward, but for some reason I keep getting a "bummer, try again" on this exercise. Am I missing something obvious?

Also wouldn't I get nil if there is only one item in the todo_items array?

todo_list.rb
class TodoList
  attr_reader :name, :todo_items

  def initialize(name)
    @name = name
    @todo_items = []
  end

  def add_item(name)
    todo_items.push(TodoItem.new(name))
  end

  def empty?(name)
    if @todo_items == 0
      return true
    else @todo_items >= 1
      return false
    end
  end

end

2 Answers

Hi Katriel,

I just used a straight comparison with zero. However, I don't think this fits the challenge but the code does pass.

def empty?
  @todo_items.count == 0
end

The question isn't covering the scenario where there is one item in the array, as you say! However, the code is expecting only two outcomes; true or false, based on empty & not empty. The challenge code doesn't distinguish three states, empty; has one; has more than one.

I hope that helps,

Steve.

In short, I agree with your interpretation of the question; your code reflects a solution to the question posed.

Oh, okay! Sometimes the questions are not always so straightforward in interpretation (because naturally I'd think you'd have to cover three cases - empty, more than one, one - based on the wording of the question) but the clarification helps in terms of the exercise. Thanks!

I agree this question isn't accurately defining what code is required to pass the challenge. But, it is the correct interpretation of a helper method like empty?. That should return only two possible values; true or false. Having other states is contradictory to the purpose of this type of method.