[Tutor] Help using Random module

Thu Apr 17 12:54:02 2003

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At 03:13 PM 4/16/2003 -0600, Danny wrote:

>Hi Everyone,
>
>My question is, I want to use the random module to pick a random number 
>from 1,100 I read up on it but am very confused about how to use it 
>properly. What I've tried to say is.
>
>def number(x):
>     x = random.randrange(1,100)
>     result = x
>     return result
>
>guess = 0
>
>while guess != number:
>     guess = input ("guess a number")
>
>     if guess > number:
>         print "Too High"
>         print guess
>
>     elif guess < number:
>         print "too Low"
>         print guess
>
>print "Just Right"
>
>When I run the program the random number is always greater then 100 what 
>am I doing wrong?

"number" refers to a function object. guess < number will always return True.
"number()" will call the function. However if you replace number with 
number() above, it will return a (probably) different value each time.

Perhaps what you want is:

guess = 0
num = number()
while guess != num:

and refer to num instead of number from there on.

>Also what does it mean when the module has a uppercase letter. For example 
>random.Random is that the same as random.random??

Names in Python are case sensitive.

A little experimentation:
 >>> import random
 >>> random.Random
<class random.Random at 0x011516C0>
 >>> random.random
<bound method Random.random of <random.Random instance at 0x011527B8>>
 >>> help(random.random)
Help on method random in module random:
random(self) method of random.Random instance
     Get the next random number in the range [0.0, 1.0).
 >>> help(random.Random)
Help on class Random in module random:
class Random
  |  Random number generator base class used by bound module functions.
[snip]

Bob Gailer
bgailer@alum.rpi.edu
303 442 2625

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At 03:13 PM 4/16/2003 -0600, Danny wrote: 
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Hi
Everyone, 
&nbsp; 
My question is, I want to use the random module
to pick a random number from 1,100 I read up on it but am very confused
about how to use it properly. What I've tried to say is. 
&nbsp; 
def number(x): 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; x = random.randrange(1,100) 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; result = x 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; return result 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
guess = 0 
&nbsp; 
while guess != number: 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; guess = input (&quot;guess a 
number&quot;) 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; if guess &gt; number: 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; print &quot;Too
High&quot; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; print guess 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; elif guess &lt; 
number: 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; print &quot;too 
Low&quot; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; print guess 
&nbsp; 
print &quot;Just Right&quot; 
&nbsp; 
When I run the program the random number is
always greater then 100 what am I doing wrong? </blockquote> 
&quot;number&quot; refers to a function object. guess &lt; number will
always return True. 
&quot;number()&quot; will call the function. However if you replace
number with number() above, it will return a (probably) different value
each time. 
Perhaps what you want is: 
guess = 0 
num = number() 
while guess != num: 
and refer to num instead of number from there on. 
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Also what
does it mean when the module has a uppercase letter. For example
random.Random is that the same as random.random??
</blockquote> 
Names in Python are case sensitive. 
A little experimentation: 
&gt;&gt;&gt; import random 
&gt;&gt;&gt; random.Random 
&lt;class random.Random at 0x011516C0&gt; 
&gt;&gt;&gt; random.random 
&lt;bound method Random.random of &lt;random.Random instance at
0x011527B8&gt;&gt; 
&gt;&gt;&gt; help(random.random) 
Help on method random in module random: 
random(self) method of random.Random instance 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Get the next random number in the range [0.0,
1.0). 
&gt;&gt;&gt; help(random.Random) 
Help on class Random in module random: 
class Random 
&nbsp;|&nbsp; Random number generator base class used by bound module
functions. 
[snip] 
<x-sigsep></x-sigsep>
Bob Gailer 
bgailer@alum.rpi.edu 
303 442 2625 
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