$ irb irb(main):001:0> answer = 42 => 42 irb(main):002:0> answer.class => Fixnum irb(main):003:0> 42.class => Fixnum irb(main):006:0> answer.class.class => Class irb(main):004:0> answer = answer * 1.3 => 54.6 irb(main):005:0> answer.class => Float