why do assign a blank var after a var has come back with an input?

im on a lesson creating a simple ruby program.

Im confused why when we call the ask method in the add_contact method that we have to assign a blank string to the answer var when an input has been returned to that var?

I have highlighted the line in question with an arrow. thanks for any help!

def ask(question, kind="string") print question + " "
answer = gets.chomp answer = answer.to_i if kind == "number" return answer end

def add_contact contact = {"name" => "", "phone_numbers" => []} contact["name"] = ask("what is the persons name?") answer = "" <-------------------------------------------------------------------------- while answer != "n" answer = ask("do you want to add a phone number? (y/n)") if answer == "y" phone = ask("Enter a phone number: ") contact["phone_numbers"].push(phone) end end return contact end

contact_list = []

answer = "" while answer != "n" contact_list.push(add_contact()) answer = ask("Add another? (y/n)") end