gistfile1.rb

# Convert a string to a numeric value

class String
  # Convert the string into a numeric value. If the string does not
  # represent a valid Integer or Float, then the string itself is returned.
  #
  #   "10".numeric   #=> 10
  #   "1.0".numeric  #=> 1.0
  #   "foo".numeric  #=> "foo"
  #
  def numeric
    Integer(self) rescue (Float(self) rescue self)
  end
end