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Python Python Basics (2015) Letter Game App Random Item

Sam Royal
Sam Royal
564 Points

Not sure what to retrun, if the rest of the code's even correct.

It says to return the iterable member that's at your random number's index.

item.py
# EXAMPLE
# random_item("Treehouse")
# The randomly selected number is 4.
# The return value would be "h"


import random

def random_item("Hello")
    random.randint(0, (len(Hello) - 1))
    return 

ran_number = random.randint(0, (len(Hello) - 1)) return Hello[ran_number]

2 Answers

Jennifer Nordell
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STAFF
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Jennifer Nordell
Treehouse Teacher

Hi there, Sam! Will Roberts is correct. Your function definition is missing a semicolon which will produce a syntax error. But above and beyond that, your code is has a string literal in the place where it should have a parameter. The parameter should be a valid Python variable name. Any information sent into the function will now have that value assigned to that parameter name. Also, because that's a string literal, your attempt to get the length of the variable Hello will fail, as that variable has not been declared. This happens when you're producing the random number. The random number should produce a valid index in the range given. What will be returned will be the whatever is in the index spot of the iterable that was sent in. But we have no idea what is being sent. Just that some iterable is being sent.

Here's how I did it:

import random

def random_item(word):  #define the function that takes some iterable
    index = random.randint(0, (len(word) - 1)) #get a random number within the appropriate range
    return word[index]  #return the value that resides at that index of whatever iterable was sent

Hope this helps! :sparkles:

Your missing your colon when creating your function also random.randint(0, (len(Hello) - 1)) is not assigned to a variable then you need to return Hello[<your_variable>]

Jennifer Nordell
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Jennifer Nordell
Treehouse Teacher

Hi there! I changed your comment to an answer as it will mark the question answered in the forums and allow for voting.