diff --git a/calculator.rb b/calculator.rb
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+# The program should use the input operation and two numbers to provide the result of applying the operation to the two numbers.
+#
+# The program should have support for these four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
+# The program should accept both the name (add) and the symbol (+) for each possible operation.
+# The program should handle unexpected user input
+
+#create an array w all possible input.
+# make sure your code is written appropriately
+
+calculations = ["add", "+", "subtract", "-", "multiply", "*", "divide", "/", "exponential", "^", "modulo", "%"]
+
+puts "Welcome to the Calculator Program! Which operator would you like to use?"
+puts "1. add(+)"
+puts "2. subtract(-)"
+puts "3. multiply(*)"
+puts "4. divide(/)"
+puts "5. exponential(^)"
+puts "6. modulo(%)"
+print "Please choose one operator (name or symbol): "
+
+user_input = gets.chomp.to_s.downcase
+
+# find if user input is included in the array
+until calculations.include? user_input
+  puts "That is not a valid answer."
+  puts "Try again."
+  user_input = gets.chomp.downcase
+end
+
+
+# use an until loop to get the user to input correct info
+# after I did this, I realized that an array would be a better option
+# until user_input == "add" || user_input == "+" || user_input == "subtract" || user_input == "-" || user_input == "multiply" || user_input == "*" || user_input == "/" || user_input == "divide" || user_input == "exponential" || user_input == "^" || user_input == "modulo" || user_input == "%"
+#   puts "That is not a valid answer."
+#   puts "Try again."
+#   user_input = gets.chomp.downcase
+# end
+
+#define methods for each operator
+def addition(num_one, num_two)
+   return num_one + num_two
+end
+
+def subtraction(num_one, num_two)
+  return num_one - num_two
+end
+
+def multiplication(num_one, num_two)
+  return num_one * num_two
+end
+
+def division(num_one, num_two)
+  return num_one / num_two
+end
+
+def exponents(num_one, num_two)
+  return num_one ** num_two
+end
+
+def modulus(num_one, num_two)
+  return num_one % num_two
+end
+
+# ??
+# create a method that will print out "give me 2 numbers....:take the numbers the user inputs
+# try this later
+
+# def input_numbers(choice_1, choice_2)
+#   return puts "Give me 2 #'s: '"
+#   print "#1: "
+#   num_1 = get_user_num()
+#   print "#2: "
+#   num_2 = get_user_num()
+
+
+# create a method to check if any of the user input is a number
+# each n umber the user inputs will get invoked in this method
+# used a regex because .Include? didn't work for me???
+
+def get_user_num
+  user_num = gets.chomp
+  until user_num =~ /\A[-+]?[0-9]*\.?[0-9]+\Z/
+    print "Not a valid number. Try again: "
+    user_num = gets.chomp
+  end
+  return user_num.to_f
+end
+
+
+
+# use if/else statment to find which method to use based on user input
+# Don't forget to put user_input on both sides of conditionals!!
+
+
+  if user_input == "add" || user_input == "+"
+    puts "Give me 2 #'s': "
+    print "#1: "
+    num_1 = get_user_num()
+    print "#2: "
+    num_2 = get_user_num()
+    result = addition(num_1, num_2)
+    puts "The answer is #{num_1} + #{num_2} = #{result}"
+
+
+  elsif user_input == "subtract" || user_input == "-"
+    puts "Give me 2 #'s': "
+    print "#1: "
+    num_1 = get_user_num()
+    print "#2: "
+    num_2 = get_user_num()
+    result = subtraction(num_1, num_2)
+    puts "The answer is #{num_1} - #{num_2} = #{result}"
+
+  elsif user_input == "multiply" || user_input == "-"
+    puts "Give me 2 #'s': "
+    print "#1: "
+    num_1 = get_user_num()
+    print "#2: "
+    num_2 = get_user_num()
+    result = multiplication(num_1, num_2)
+    puts "The answer is #{num_1} * #{num_2} = #{result}"
+
+    # this is breaking out of the program if second number isn't valid on the divide? oh, because the variables i used changed. Nope because my end in my while loop was after the result and in line with my initial if statement
+  elsif user_input == "divide" || user_input == "/"
+    puts "Give me 2 #'s': "
+    print "#1: "
+    num_1 = get_user_num()
+    print "#2: "
+    num_2 = get_user_num()
+    # while num_3 && num_4 =~ /[0-9]/
+      while num_2 == 0
+        puts "Can't divide by 0. Try again."
+        num_2 = get_user_num()
+      end
+    result = division(num_1, num_2)
+    puts "The answer is #{num_1} / #{num_2} = #{result}"
+
+
+  elsif user_input == "exponential" || user_input == "^"
+    puts "Give me 2 #'s': "
+    print "#1: "
+    num_1 = get_user_num()
+    print "#2: "
+    num_2 = get_user_num()
+    result = exponents(num_1, num_2)
+    puts "The answer is #{num_1} ** #{num_2} = #{result}"
+
+  elsif user_input == "modulo" || user_input == "%"
+    puts "Give me 2 #'s': "
+    print "#1: "
+    num_1 = get_user_num()
+    print "#2: "
+    num_2 = get_user_num()
+    result = modulus(num_1, num_2)
+    puts "The answer is #{num_1} % #{num_2} = #{result}"
+
+  end