Some basic example code approaches and problem solving

Character count

def char_count(paragraph)
  paragraph.split(%r{\s*}).count
end

def each_word_counts(paragraph)
  details = {}
  paragraph.split(/\s/).each { |word| details[word] = word.length }
  details
end

# char_count "Zombies are coming for you"
#   >> 22 

# each_word_count "Zombies are coming for you!" 
#  >> { "Zombies" => 7, "are" => 3, "coming" => 6, "for" => 3, "you" => 3 }

JavaScript Without function

/*
 * Use this when
 *   - underscore.js is not available or a good fit for the project
 *   - IE8 is not a target browser
*/

function isArray(obj){
  var toString = Object.prototype.toString;
  return toString.call(obj) === "[object Array]"; 
}

function without(array1, array2){
  if(isArray(array1) && isArray(array2)){
    var newArray = [];
    for(var ct = 0; ct < array1.length; ct++){
      if(array2.indexOf(array1[ct]) === -1){ //indexOf is only a string method in IE8
        newArray.push(array1[ct]);
      }
    }
    return newArray;
  } else {
    return "One or both arguments of 'without' are not Arrays";
  }
}

OOP JavaScript Example

function Dragon(name){
  this._name = name;
}

Dragon.prototype.name = function(){
  return this._name;
}

Dragon.prototype.breathWeapon = function(){
  var modifier = 0;
  if(this._breathWeapon === "ice"){
    modifier = 5;
  }
  if(this._breathWeapon === "acid"){
    modifier = 7;
  }
  return Math.ceil(Math.random() * 6)*6 + modifier;
}


function BlackDragon(name){
  this._name = name;
}
function WhiteDragon(name){
  this._name = name;
}


function extendDragon(drgn){
  for(key in Dragon.prototype) {
    var val = Dragon.prototype[key];
    if(typeof val !== "undefined"){
      drgn.prototype[key] = val;
    }
  }
  return drgn;
}

extendDragon(BlackDragon);
extendDragon(WhiteDragon);

WhiteDragon.prototype.speed = function(){
  return 75 + Math.floor(Math.random()*10)*5;
}
WhiteDragon.prototype._breathWeapon = "ice";

BlackDragon.prototype.speed = function(){
  return 100 + Math.ceil(Math.random() * 10)*6;
}
BlackDragon.prototype._breathWeapon = "acid";

var whiteFang = new WhiteDragon("White Fang");
var blackWing = new BlackDragon("Black Wing");

function battle(champion, challenger){
  var champPower = champion.breathWeapon() + champion.speed();
  var challPower = challenger.breathWeapon() + challenger.speed();
  if(champPower > challPower){
    return champion.name() + " has won this battle!";
  } else if (challPower > champPower){
    return challenger.name() + " has won this battle!";
  } else {
    //next round
    setTimeout(battle, 0);
  }
  
}

battle(whiteFang, blackWing);

Ruby Without method

def without(array1, array2)
  array1.map { |num| num unless array2.include? num }.compact
end