Python Random module

The random module in Python is a built-in module that provides a suite of functions for generating random numbers and sequences.

Here are some of the commonly used functions in the random module:

1. random(): Returns a random float between 0 and 1.
2. randint(a, b): Returns a random integer between a and b (inclusive).
3. randrange(start, stop[, step]): Returns a randomly selected element from the range created by the arguments.
4. choice(seq): Returns a random element from the given sequence.
5. shuffle(seq): Shuffles the elements of the given sequence randomly.

Here’s an example of using the random module to generate a random integer between 1 and 100:

import random

random_number = random.randint(1, 100)
print(random_number)

Output:

42

Generate Random Numbers within a Defined Range:

To generate random numbers within a defined range in Python, you can use the randint() function from the random module.

Here’s an example:

import random

# Generate a random integer between 10 and 20
random_number = random.randint(10, 20)
print(random_number)

Output:

15

In this example, randint(10, 20) generates a random integer between 10 and 20 (inclusive). You can adjust the arguments to set your desired range.

If you need to generate a sequence of random numbers within a range, you can use a loop:

import random

# Generate 10 random integers between 1 and 100
for i in range(10):
    random_number = random.randint(1, 100)
    print(random_number)

Output:

51
28
85
79
13
24
17
73
58
44

In this example, the loop generates 10 random integers between 1 and 100.

Select Random Elements:

To select random elements from a sequence in Python, you can use the choice() function from the random module.

Here’s an example:

import random

fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'orange', 'kiwi', 'mango']

# Select a random fruit from the list
random_fruit = random.choice(fruits)
print(random_fruit)

Output:

orange

In this example, choice(fruits) selects a random element from the fruits list. You can replace fruits with any other sequence, such as a tuple or a string.

If you need to select multiple random elements from a sequence, you can use the sample() function:

import random

numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

# Select 3 random numbers from the list
random_numbers = random.sample(numbers, 3)
print(random_numbers)

Output:

[5, 2, 7]

In this example, sample(numbers, 3) selects 3 random elements from the numbers list without replacement. If you want to allow duplicates, you can use the choices() function instead.

Random Seed:

In Python, you can use the random.seed() function to initialize the random number generator with a specific seed value. The seed value is used to generate a sequence of random numbers, and if the same seed value is used again, the same sequence of random numbers will be generated.

Here’s an example:

import random

# Initialize the random number generator with seed value 42
random.seed(42)

# Generate 5 random integers
for i in range(5):
    print(random.randint(1, 10))

Output:

4
10
7
3
7

In this example, random.seed(42) initializes the random number generator with seed value 42. Then, randint(1, 10) generates 5 random integers between 1 and 10 (inclusive), but because the random number generator was initialized with the same seed value, the same sequence of random numbers is generated each time the program is run.

Using a fixed seed value can be useful when you need to generate a random sequence of numbers that can be replicated, such as for testing or debugging purposes. However, if you need true randomness, you should not use a fixed seed value. In that case, you can use random.seed() with no arguments, which uses the system time as the seed value.

Various Functions of Random Module: