In the previous activity, we outputted math expressions separately from the strings. While this works, it’s not very visually appealing. In programming, we format strings to construct complex text messages. In C#, there are two popular ways to format strings: string concatenation and string interpolation.
String concatenation involves using the plus sign ( + ) to combine data. For example, we can combine "My name is " with "Anthony Mortimer" using the plus sign:
"My name is " + "Anthony Mortimer"
A newer way to format strings is through a feature called string interpolation. With string interpolation, you prefix a string with the dollar sign ( $ ). Then you use curly braces {} to insert code expressions directly within the string:
$"My age in months is {30 * 12}."
// String concatenation - Use the + sign to append math expressions to strings
Console.WriteLine("10 squared is " + (10 * 10)); // It helps to enclose arithmetic in parenthesis
Console.WriteLine();
// Mixing addition and string concatenation together can cause problems.
// You can use parentheses to ensure the addition is not mixed up with concatenation.
Console.WriteLine("I'm 5 foot 10 inches. That's " + (5 * 12 + 10) + " inches.");
Console.WriteLine();
// String interpolation - Prefix the string with $ and insert code in { }.
Console.WriteLine($"If I take out a $1000 loan, and pay $25 each month, I will pay my loan off in {1000 / 25} months.");
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("A woodchuck can chuck 32 wood panels every minute.");
Console.WriteLine($"Therefore, a woodchuck can chuck {32 * 60} wood panels every hour.");
10 squared is 100
I'm 5 foot 10 inches. That's 70 inches.
If I take out a $1000 loan, and pay $25 each month, I will pay my loan off in 40 months.
A woodchuck can chuck 32 wood panels every minute.
Therefore, a woodchuck can chuck 1920 wood panels every hour.