# Eloquent Ruby, Second Edition: safe navigation explanation (page 44)

**URL:** <https://forum.devtalk.com/t/eloquent-ruby-second-edition-safe-navigation-explanation-page-44/224409>\
**Category:** PragProg Customers\
**Tags:** book-eloquent-ruby-second-edition, suggestion\
**Created:** [28 November 2025 17:56 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/eloquent-ruby-second-edition-safe-navigation-explanation-page-44/224409 "2025-11-28T17:56:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lucashaley](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/lucashaley/32/7804_2.png) [@lucashaley](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/lucashaley)\
**Post date:** [28 November 2025 17:56 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/eloquent-ruby-second-edition-safe-navigation-explanation-page-44/224409/1 "2025-11-28T17:56:07Z")

</div>

It would be excellent to have a little more explanation about why the code returns `false` for the last example in the section: `docs&.​first​&.​words​&.​first​&.​reverse`.​

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![russolsen](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/russolsen/32/808_2.png) [@russolsen](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/russolsen)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2025 01:38 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/eloquent-ruby-second-edition-safe-navigation-explanation-page-44/224409/2 "2025-12-14T01:38:28Z")

</div>

Good catch!

I accidentally pulled in the wrong code example here. The correct bit of code is:

(1 == 0)&.to\_s

Since 1 == 0 is false and false is not nil, we get “false”.

Thanks!

R