Question

Working on problem set #5, problem 2. As part of the assignment they provide us with a function called deal_hand(n) that generates a random set of letters of specified length n; i have copied this code to codepad. Code is straight from assignment, I added the print statements. http://codepad.org/Ryzo8Tx5.
What I find weird is the discrepancy b/w the random number generated, the value of x, and the value of the right side of the equation of x.
For example, if the random number = 1, then x = VOWELS[4] = e, right?? In the first loop in codepad it shows random number = 1, x=o, and VOWEL[2]=a

Answer 1

Perhaps I just don't understand the randrange function. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks!

Answer 2

updated the code to match variables better to my message: http://codepad.org/dhIN95J4

Answer 3

I'm with you, though when I created my own file...it works as we would suspect.
(I tried Codepad..but it keeps returning me an internal error, forgive me)


import random
VOWELS = 'aeiou'

for i in range(0, 5):
x = random.randrange(0, len(VOWELS))
print x
print i,'=i','.................', x, '=', VOWELS[x]

>>> ================================ RESTART ================================
>>>
0
0 =i ................. 0 = a
4
1 =i ................. 4 = u
1
2 =i ................. 1 = e
4
3 =i ................. 4 = u
1
4 =i ................. 1 = e

random.randrange(0,N) simply randomly selects a number between 0 and N.
the VOWELS_randNum in the original script baffles me as well.

Answer 4

http://codepad.org/XvtPuo89

Answer 5

@dvena - your print statements at lines 24 and 26 each call randrange which produce a different number than line 23 --> you are comparing apples to oranges
http://codepad.org/QcWj94eK

Answer 6

@bray - yea it worked fine, but I was just curious as to what I was missing and why it didn't seem to make sense.

@bwCA - it all makes sense now! Thanks!