[Tutor] Random order program

[bob gailer]

On 11/27/2011 11:28 AM, myles broomes wrote:
> Im trying to make a program where the user enters 5 words and then the list of words a is returned in a random order. Heres the code I have come up with so far:
>
> #random word order program
> #the user gives the program a list of words
> #the program then returns them in a random order
>
> import random
>
> #explain the purpose of the program to the user
> print("At the prompt, type in a list of words and they will be returned in a random order.")
>
> #get the users input for the list of words, one by one
> first_word = input("Please enter your first word: ")
> second_word = input("Please enter your second word: ")
> third_word = input("Please enter your third word: ")
> fourth_word = input("Please enter your fourth word: ")
> fifth_word = input("Please enter your fifth word: ")
>
> #create a tuple containing the users words of the words
> word_list = (first_word,second_word,third_word,fourth_word,fifth_word)
>
> #create an empty list that the words will go into to be returned in a random order
> random_word_list = []
>
> print("Now your list will be displayed in a random order.")
>
> #random order list
> while random_word_list != len(word_list):
>          word = random.choice(word_list)
>          if word not in random_word_list:
>                  random_word_list += word
>
> #display the random word list
> print(random_word_list)
>
> input("Press enter to exit...")
>
> When I run the program, this is what is displayed:
>
> At the prompt, type in a list of words and they will be returned in a random order.
> Please enter your first word: one
> Please enter your second word: two
> Please enter your third word: three
> Please enter your fourth word: four
> Please enter your fifth word: five
> Now your list will be displayed in a random order.
>
>
> ...And then nothing happens after that - no error, no nothing.

  random_word_list != len(word_list) will always be true. Therefore the loop will never end.

What should that expression be? See if you can figure out why it is always true and what to change to get the desired result.

In theory the loop could run for a long time, as you could get an arbitrarily long run of words that are already in the random_word_list. How could you fix that?

There are any number of ways to simplify and improve the program. Are you interested in hearing about them?

For one study the functions in the random module.


-- 
Bob Gailer
919-636-4239
Chapel Hill NC