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Python Python Basics (2015) Letter Game App Random Item

Ping Li
Ping Li
2,689 Points
Posted by Ping Li
Ping Li
2,689 Points

How do I do this? What's wrong?

You've seen how random.choice() works. It gets a random member from an iterable (like a list or a string). I want you to try and reproduce it yourself. First, import the random library. Then create a function named random_item that takes a single argument, an iterable. Then use random.randint() to get a random number between 0 and the length of the iterable, minus one. Return the iterable member that's at your random number's index. Check the file for an example.

item.py 
import random
def random_item("Hello"):
    num = random.randint(0, len("Hello") - 1)
    return("Hello"<num>)
# EXAMPLE
# random_item("Treehouse")
# The randomly selected number is 4.
# The return value would be "h"
Jose Aguirre
Jose Aguirre
14,866 Points
Jose Aguirre
Jose Aguirre
14,866 Points

Hey Ping Li, Although "Hello" is an iterable, you want to put a variable in its place. For example 

import random
def random_item(str):
    num = random.randint(0, len(str) - 1)
    return(str[num])

# sample function call 
# print(random_item("hello"))

When returning the index of the string at num use [] square brackets instead of <>. Let me know if this was helpful.

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
216,012 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
216,012 Points

You can't use literal strings as function parameters.

Everywhere you have "Hello", you should have a variable name instead. That variable will represent the actual value given to the function when it is called.

Also, when subscripting you enclose the index in square brackets ("[]") instead of angle brackets ("<>").