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Python Python Basics (2015) Letter Game App Random Item

Posted by Jason Pallone
Jason Pallone
895 Points

random number from interable?

i'm lost, i get lost with these challenges and that worries me because i get the course work but i get lost on the challenges.. im not sure what to do here?

item.py 
# EXAMPLE
# random_item("Treehouse")
# The randomly selected number is 4.
# The return value would be "h"
import random
def random_item(iterable)
    random.randint(len(interable - 0 -= 1)
              return(index)
Jason Pallone
Jason Pallone
895 Points

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.

2 Answers

Craig Dennis
STAFF
Craig Dennis
Treehouse Teacher
Craig Dennis
Craig Dennis
Treehouse Teacher

I see two problems. The term is iterable as in able to iterate. I see a place where you have misspelled that.

What is happening with the line return(index) What is index there?

I think you want len(iterable) - 1.

Let me know if those hints don't help get you heading in the right direction.

You got this!

Jason Pallone
Jason Pallone
895 Points 
import random
def random_item(iterable)
    random.randint(len(iterable) - 1
                   return(int)

is what i came up with, im pretty confused here. I dont know how to get the index out of it? I know what a index is and all that, But i have no clue how to get the index out of this

Craig Dennis
Craig Dennis
Treehouse Teacher
Craig Dennis
Craig Dennis
Treehouse Teacher

Try just returning the result of random.randint

return random.randint(len(iterable) -1)
Jonathan Beard
Jonathan Beard
1,681 Points
Jonathan Beard
Jonathan Beard
1,681 Points

Solution:

import random

my_list = ['1', '2', '3', '4', '5', '6']

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

random_item(my_list)