Creating Objects

You can get output from R by typing a mathematical equation into the console - for example, if you type in 3 + 5, R will calculate the output value:

# add 3 + 5
3 + 5
## [1] 8
# divide 12 by 7
12/7
## [1] 1.714286

However, is it more useful to assign values to objects. To create an object, you need to give it a name followed by the assignment operator <-, and the value you want to give it:

# assign weight_kg to the value of 55
weight_kg <- 55

# view object value
weight_kg
## [1] 55

Use Useful Object Names

Objects can be given any name such as x, current_temperature, or subject_id. However, it is best to use clear and descriptive words when naming objects to ensure your code is easy to follow.

You will learn best practicing for coding in this module - in the clean coding lesson.

1. Keep object names short: This makes them easier to read when scanning through code.
2. Use meaningful names: For example, precip is a more useful name that tells us something about the object compared to x.
3. Don’t start names with numbers! Objects that start with a number are NOT VALID in R.
4. Avoid names that are existing functions in R: e.g.if, else, for, see here.

A few other notes about object names in R:

• R is case sensitive (e.g. weight_kg is different from Weight_kg).
• Avoid other function names (e.g. c, T, mean, data, df, weights).
• Use nouns for variable names, and verbs for function names.
• Avoid using dots in object names - e.g. my.dataset - dots have a special meaning in R (for methods) and other programming languages. Instead use underscores my_dataset.

View Object Value

When assigning a value to an object, R does not print anything. You can force it to print the value by using parentheses or by typing the name:

weight_kg <- 55    # doesn't print anything
(weight_kg <- 55)  # but putting parenthesis around the call prints the value of `weight_kg`
## [1] 55
weight_kg          # and so does typing the name of the object
## [1] 55

Now that R has weight_kg in memory, you can do arithmetic with it. For instance, you may want to convert this weight in pounds (weight in pounds is 2.2 times the weight in kg):

2.2 * weight_kg
## [1] 121

You can also change a variable’s value by assigning it a new one:

weight_kg <- 57.5
2.2 * weight_kg
## [1] 126.5

This means that assigning a value to one variable does not change the values of other variables. For example, let’s store the animal’s weight in pounds in a new variable, weight_lb:

weight_lb <- 2.2 * weight_kg

and then change weight_kg to 100.

weight_kg <- 100

What do you think is the current content of the object weight_lb? 126.5 or 200?

mass <- 47.5            # mass?
age  <- 122             # age?
mass <- mass * 2.0      # mass?
age  <- age - 20        # age?
mass_index <- mass/age  # mass_index?