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Python Python Basics (2015) Letter Game App Random Item

Jamal Scott
Jamal Scott
9,656 Points
Posted by Jamal Scott
Jamal Scott
9,656 Points

Python

Cant seem to get this one right, i have this so far

EXAMPLE

import random

random_item("Treehouse")

def random_item("Treehouse"): num = random.randint(0, len("Treehouse")-1) letter = [num] return letter

The randomly selected number is 4.

The return value would be "h"

Many thanks

item.py 
# EXAMPLE

import random

# random_item("Treehouse")
def random_item("Treehouse"):
  num = random.randint(0, len("Treehouse")-1)
  letter = [num]
  return letter

# The randomly selected number is 4.
# The return value would be "h"

1 Answer

Evan Demaris
Evan Demaris
64,262 Points
Evan Demaris
Evan Demaris
64,262 Points

Hi Jamal,

The parameter of your function is a string, where it should be a variable. Your letter variable is a list with one item in it, which is the random integer created, instead of being the random letter; if you pushed all your code into one line, skipping the variable assignment and putting that code into the index for the iterable input of your function, it will pass and will be more efficient;

import random

def random_item(iterable):
  return iterable[random.randint(0, len(iterable)-1)]

Please let me know if you have any questions about how or why that works!

Evan Demaris
Evan Demaris
64,262 Points

The function isn't being used in this example, so the iterable parameter isn't anything yet - it's a placeholder variable. However, iterable would be a string that you provide. So for example,

random_item("catfish")

would return a random letter of "catfish".