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Python

Posted by sradms0
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sradms0
Treehouse Project Reviewer

Feedback for code (Random Choices challenge)?

My code feels very broken down as I was only able to understand making this function in this particular way. I feel like there is an easier way create this function. I am mostly wondering if there is a way to simplify this/shorten the code Any criticism would be appreciated!

from random import choice

def nchoices(itr, num):
  make_list = []
  choice_list = []
  for char in itr:
    make_list.append(choice(char))
  for times in range(num):
    choice_list.append(choice(make_list))
  return choice_list

1 Answer

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,468 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,468 Points

It's unclear what make_list is for. It seems you're trying to scramble the input before selecting a random element. This is redundant. You code passes with this removed:

def nchoices(itr, num):
    # make_list = []
    choice_list = []
    # for char in itr:
    #     make_list.append(choice(char))
    # for num loops...
    for times in range(num):
        # append an element choosen at random
        choice_list.append(choice(itr))  # <-- changed to use itr
    return choice_list

An alternate solution would be to use a list comprehension:

def nchoices(itr, num):
    return [choice(itr) for times in range(num)]
sradms0
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sradms0
Treehouse Project Reviewer 
from random import choice

def nchoices(itr, num):
  make_list = []
  choice_list = []
  for char in itr:
    make_list.append(char)    # Originally, I accidentally added the choice function here. Didn't mean to.
  for times in range(num):
    choice_list.append(choice(make_list))
  return choice_list

My logic for the make_list variable was to store itr in it as a list, then randomly select from make_list and then append the random choice to the choice_list.

sradms0
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sradms0
Treehouse Project Reviewer

I do now understand that I could just take that block of code out, though. This helped a lot. Thanks, Chris.