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Android Build a Simple Android App (retired 2014) Learning the Language Objects and Random Numbers

Posted by BJORN HERMANSEN
BJORN HERMANSEN
Courses Plus Student 171 Points

Android Dev

I'm new to Android Dev so I'm not familiar with any of the information. Here's what I'm being asked to do

"Declare an int variable named 'randomNumber' and, without setting a range, use the randomGenerator variable and its nextInt() method to get a random number."

Below is what I've written per what I've already written in Eclipse with Ben...

Random randomGenerator = new Random(); //Construct a new Random generator int randomNumber = randomGenerator.nextInt(3); answer = Integer.toString(randomNumber);

            //Update the label with our dynamic answer
            answerLabel.setText(answer);

I have to be honest, I don't follow at all... I've been referencing the code that Ben has instructed to me write in Eclipse but it's not helping that I'm not understanding what I'm writing. I get that Java is Object-Oriented, that makes sense, but attempting to complete the task given above has me stuck in the mud.

I've watched Ben's video 3 times now and I'm still here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

3 Answers

Gunjeet Hattar
Gunjeet Hattar
14,483 Points

Hi BJORN,

"Declare an int variable named 'randomNumber' and, without setting a range, use the randomGenerator variable and its nextInt() method to get a random number"

In the first part of the challenge you must have written the line

Random randomGenerator = new Random();

Random is a special feature built inside Java that helps you get random numbers up until a specified number.

Now the second part 

Random randomGenerator = new Random();

//declare a variable called randomNumber 
//I am breaking this to help you explain but as given by Jose above you can write it in one line too

int randomNumber;

//without setting a range, use the randomGenerator variable and its nextInt()
 randomNumber = randomGenerator.nextInt();

You first declare an integer variable called randomNumber. Pretty straightforward.

Next, as mentioned above Random is an inbuilt java feature and it has a special method called nextInt that fetches a new random number each time it is called. This method has a basic syntax

nextInt(range); //where range is the number up until where you wish to get the random number

So using the Random variable called randomGenerator we call the nextInt method, but as specified in the instruction we do not set the range and thus it is blank

A lot of the basics reflect back to core java. Though I am not sure if you are well versed with it but just a quick read will suffice.

Hope that helps. Ask again if you need help

Jose Beltran
Jose Beltran
1,195 Points
Jose Beltran
Jose Beltran
1,195 Points

int randomNumber = randomGenerator.nextInt();

BJORN HERMANSEN
PLUS
BJORN HERMANSEN
Courses Plus Student 171 Points
BJORN HERMANSEN
BJORN HERMANSEN
Courses Plus Student 171 Points

Thank You very much! I feel better moving forward now.