def first_letters_freq(last_names)
  letters = Hash.new(0)
  last_names.sort.each do |name|
    letters[name[0].chr] += 1
  end

  return letters
end

@last_names = 
  ['Spooner', 'Amberg', 'Levchuk', 'Azazel', 'Arbuzov', 'Letov', 'Zukov', 'Zverev', 'Zaizov']

require 'erb'
template = %q{
  <a href=""><%=@letter%></a>(<%=@frequencies[@letter]%>)
}


@frequencies = first_letters_freq(@last_names)
@collection = 
  @frequencies.keys.sort.collect do |letter|
    @letter = letter
    ERB.new(template).result
  end


template = "<div><%=@collection.join(' | ')%></div>"
puts ERB.new(template).result