Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Python Python Basics (2015) Letter Game App Random Item

Posted by Victor Katsande
Victor Katsande
3,094 Points

HELP HELP HELP. i am suck here for days

*SO HERE IS THE QUESTION IN FULL 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 
# EXAMPLE
# random_item("Treehouse")
# The randomly selected number is 4.
# The return value would be "h"
import random
def random_iten("iterable")
     random.randint(0, (len(iterable)-1))
        return index.randint()

4 Answers

Enzie Riddle
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Enzie Riddle
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 19,278 Points
Enzie Riddle
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Enzie Riddle
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 19,278 Points
  1. Be sure your function is named correctly.
  2. In this challenge your argument is not a string.
  3. It will be very beneficial for you to put your random number into a variable.
  4. Your return should not be indented.
  5. Find the video where Kenneth talks about the correct syntax for indexes.

Don't overthink this! You can do it! If you're still stuck, comment back. Happy coding! :)

Victor Katsande
Victor Katsande
3,094 Points
Victor Katsande
Victor Katsande
3,094 Points

Hey Enzie, so i changed a couple of things as per your pointers. code still failing to pass though. here is how the code looks like:

import random def random_item(treehouse) random_number = random.randint(0, len(treehouse)-1) return (treehouse[random_number])

Victor Katsande
Victor Katsande
3,094 Points
Victor Katsande
Victor Katsande
3,094 Points

Sorry had to restructure, it looked messy.

import random ....next line....

def random_item(treehouse) ....next line

 random_number = random.randint(0, len(treehouse)-1)     .....next line....

 return (treehouse[random_number])
Enzie Riddle
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Enzie Riddle
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 19,278 Points
Enzie Riddle
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Enzie Riddle
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 19,278 Points

I apologize that it took so long to respond, hopefully you got it! I'm assuming that you've used treehouse as the name for the iterable you've passed into the function. The only thing I see wrong is the parenthesis in your return. Delete those and you should be golden