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Python Python Collections (Retired) Dungeon Game Random Choice

peter keves
peter keves
6,854 Points
Posted by peter keves
peter keves
6,854 Points

what is the difference between randint and random choice?

what is the difference between randint and random choice?

2 Answers

David McCarty
David McCarty
5,214 Points

As i understand it, random.randint(a, b) is used for getting a random number between two given numbers, a high and a low. E.g. if I want a number between 1 and 50 I would do random.randint(1, 50)

random.choice is used when you want to select an item at random in a given range or a list or something that is iterable. E.g. if you have a list object, say list_1 and it held a bunch of tuples or objects, or just random numbers, like this [5, 8, 9, 1, 5, 22, 54, 78, 55]. You could do random.choice(list_1) and it would return a random selection from within that list. Since there is no number 15 in list_1, random.choice(list_1) could not return a 15, it can only return something that is in the list.

Or, at least, that's how I understand it.

Hope that helps!

peter keves
peter keves
6,854 Points
peter keves
peter keves
6,854 Points

Cleared things up for me :)) thanks

David McCarty
David McCarty
5,214 Points

Glad to help my friend :)

Ryan Ruscett
Ryan Ruscett
23,309 Points
Ryan Ruscett
Ryan Ruscett
23,309 Points

Hey,

To the iterpreter I go

>>> help(random.randint)
Help on method randint in module random:

randint(a, b) method of random.Random instance
    Return random integer in range [a, b], including both end points.

>>> help(random.random)
Help on built-in function random:

random(...) method of random.Random instance
    random() -> x in the interval [0, 1).

OK I spoke to soon. This doesn't really help us does it. Check this out instead lol

random.random Return a random integer N such that a is less than or equal to N less than or equal to b.

random.randint Return the next random floating point number in the range [0.0, 1.0).

This is a bit more helpful

THE BIG REASON - is that random gives me a floating point number which requires me to do MATH YUCK!! for an integer. I mean I can get .845432 but that's not a number lol. Well it's a number but not a nice number like 8 or 1. I need to turn it into a number I can use and that is where MATH comes in. Where as randint just gives me back a number. Say betwen 1 and 10 I can get 2 or 1 or 6. That is the real reason these exist. For things like data science and where floating points and accuracy matters. You can use random but for games and whatever else. Use randint works fine.

Let me know if that helps!

Ryan Ruscett
Ryan Ruscett
23,309 Points
Ryan Ruscett
Ryan Ruscett
23,309 Points

haha totally misread that one lol. Random choice lol not random lol.