**`array.rotate(count)`** is an array method in Ruby. This method rotates an array so that the element at position `count` or at `count` index becomes the first element of the new array. 

The `count` here represents an integer, which could be positive or negative.

#   
#  Syntax
```ruby
array.rotate(count)
```

#   
#  Parameter
* **`count`**: This is a positive or negative integer that specifies the element at the `count` position that should begin the rotated array.

##  
## Return value

A new array is returned after the array has been rotated so that the element at `count` is the first element of the new array.

## 
## Code
In the below code, we create some arrays and apply the `rotate()` method on them along with some `count` parameters.

# create arrays
array1 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
array2 = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "e"]
array3 = ["Python", "Ruby", "Java"]
array4 = [true, false, nil, 0, 1]

# rotate arrays
a = array1.rotate(2) # rotate from element 3
b = array2.rotate(4) # rotate from element 5
c = array3.rotate(1) # rotate from element 2
d = array4.rotate(3) # rotate from element 4

# print rotated arrays
puts "rotated form = #{a}"
puts "rotated form = #{b}"
puts "rotated form = #{c}"
puts "rotated form = #{d}"

#   
## `rotate()` without a parameter

When no parameter is passed to the `rotate()` function, `1` is taken as the `count`.

Let's find out what happens when the `rotate()` method receives no parameter.

# create an array
array = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

# rotate an array
a = array.rotate() # [2, 3, 4, 5, 1]

# print rotated array
puts "#{array} rotated = #{a}"

In the above code, the array was rotated at `count = 1`.

#   
## `rotate()` with a negative `count`
When a negative `count` is passed to the `rotate()` method, say $-1, -19, -2$, etc., then it rotates in the opposite direction, starting from the end of self where $-1$ is the last element. 

See the example below:

# create array
array =  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

# rotate array
a = array.rotate(-2) # [4, 5, 1, 2, 3]

# print rotated array
puts "#{array} rotated = #{a}"

What is array.rotate() in Ruby?

array.rotate(count) in Ruby rotates an array so the element at index count becomes first. Count can be positive or negative.

What is array.rotate() in Ruby?

Syntax

Parameter

Return value

Code

rotate() without a parameter

rotate() with a negative count

`rotate()` without a parameter

`rotate()` with a negative `count`