# Programming Ruby 3.2 (5th Edition): B4.0 page 501, the start argument has to do

**URL:** <https://forum.devtalk.com/t/programming-ruby-3-2-5th-edition-b4-0-page-501-the-start-argument-has-to-do/113654>\
**Category:** PragProg Customers\
**Tags:** question, book-programming-ruby-3-2-5th-edition\
**Created:** [21 June 2023 16:20 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/programming-ruby-3-2-5th-edition-b4-0-page-501-the-start-argument-has-to-do/113654 "2023-06-21T16:20:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BernardK](https://forum.devtalk.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@BernardK](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/BernardK)\
**Post date:** [21 June 2023 16:20 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/programming-ruby-3-2-5th-edition-b4-0-page-501-the-start-argument-has-to-do/113654/1 "2023-06-21T16:20:15Z")

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@noelrappin

page 501, paragraph 4 (after title), line 2 :

> Date instance—the start argument has to do . You’ll also often see Date.new(year, month day),

I don’t understand : _ **the start argument has to do** _

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![noelrappin](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/noelrappin/32/481_2.png) [@noelrappin](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/noelrappin)\
**Post date:** [25 June 2023 13:48 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/programming-ruby-3-2-5th-edition-b4-0-page-501-the-start-argument-has-to-do/113654/2 "2023-06-25T13:48:05Z")

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It’s a remnant of what became the paragraph before this describing what “start” does. Thanks!