""" Simple randomizer and tally machine. Drop a ball 'howmany' times so it falls left or right for 'howmany' rows of pegs -- like Pachinko http://www.4dsolutions.net/ocn/graphics/randtrianim.gif (c) GPL, 4D OCN 2009 Python 3.0.1 (r301:69556, Mar 14 2009, 14:06:26) [GCC 4.2.4 (Ubuntu 4.2.4-1ubuntu3)] on linux2 """ from random import randint def leftright(): """ spit out L or R (left or right) until the cows come home """ while True: yield ['R','L'][randint(0,1)] def the_fall(howfar): """ drop from the top: go left or right for however far """ mypath = [] for i in range(howfar): mypath.append(next(y)) # using da generator return mypath def many_falls(howmany, howfar): """ dropping the ball, building a dictionary (sample) Order of Ls and Rs in a single fall leads to same final position, so index by string e.g. LLLLRRR """ counters = {} for i in range(howmany): thepath = "".join((sorted(the_fall(howfar)))) counters[thepath] = counters.setdefault(thepath,0) + 1 return counters def display(sample): """ spit out the fall strings in alpha order with associated counts """ thekeys = sorted(sample.keys()) for i in thekeys: print("%s : %4d" % (i, sample[i])) def test(): """ run a sample, display the results """ global y # so we can use it anywhere! y = leftright() sample = many_falls(10000, 10) display(sample) if __name__ == '__main__': test() ========== Multiple runs:

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LLLLLLLLLL : 15 LLLLLLLLLR : 109 LLLLLLLLRR : 438 LLLLLLLRRR : 1205 LLLLLLRRRR : 1976 LLLLLRRRRR : 2491 LLLLRRRRRR : 2118 LLLRRRRRRR : 1138 LLRRRRRRRR : 416 LRRRRRRRRR : 84 RRRRRRRRRR : 10

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LLLLLLLLLL : 11 LLLLLLLLLR : 96 LLLLLLLLRR : 454 LLLLLLLRRR : 1144 LLLLLLRRRR : 2027 LLLLLRRRRR : 2444 LLLLRRRRRR : 2066 LLLRRRRRRR : 1194 LLRRRRRRRR : 443 LRRRRRRRRR : 111 RRRRRRRRRR : 10

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