Random Numbers
in
Python
Riya Jacob K
Dept of BCA
2020 -21
What is a Random Number?
• Random number does NOT mean a different
number every time.
• Random means something that can not be
predicted logically.
Pseudo Random and True Random
• Computers work on programs, and programs are
definitive set of instructions. So it means there
must be some algorithm to generate a random
number as well.
• If there is a program to generate random number
it can be predicted, thus it is not truly random.
• Random numbers generated through a
generation algorithm are called pseudo random.
• Can we make truly random numbers?
• Yes. In order to generate a truly random number
on our computers we need to get the random
data from some outside source. This outside
source is generally our keystrokes, mouse
movements, data on network etc.
• We do not need truly random numbers, unless its
related to security (e.g. encryption keys) or the
basis of application is the randomness (e.g.
Digital roulette wheels).
• Here we will discussed about pseudo random
numbers.
Generate Random Number
• NumPy (NumPy is a python library) offers
the random module to work with random
numbers.
• Example
• Generate a random integer from 0 to 100:
from numpy import random
x = random.randint(100)
print(x)
• Output
43
Generate Random Float
• The random module's rand() method returns a
random float between 0 and 1.
• Example
Generate a random float from 0 to 1:
from numpy import random
x = random.rand()
print(x)
• Output
0.4140522484659195
Generate Random Array
• In NumPy we work with arrays, and you can use the two
methods from the above examples to make random arrays.
Integers
• The randint() method takes a size parameter where you can
specify the shape of an array.
Example
• Generate a 1-D array containing 5 random integers from 0
to 100:
from numpy import random
x=random.randint(100, size=(5))
print(x)
Output
[2 5 6 14 92]
Generate 2D Integer Random Array
• Example
Generate a 2-D array with 3 rows, each row
containing 5 random integers from 0 to 100:
from numpy import random
x = random.randint(100, size=(3, 5))
print(x)
• Output
[[90 99 11 30 34]
[66 40 63 36 37]
[63 35 89 51 58]]
Generate 1D Float Random Array
• The rand() method also allows you to specify the shape
of the array.
• Example
Generate a 1-D array containing 5 random floats:
from numpy import random
x = random.rand(5)
print(x)
Output
[0.4305005 0.1667810 0.9989659 0.4566901
0.3199066]
Generate 2D Float Random Array
• Example
Generate a 2-D array with 3 rows, each row
containing 5 random numbers:
from numpy import random
x = random.rand(3, 5)
print(x)
• Output
• [[0.14252791 0.44691071 0.59274288 0.73873487 0.22082345]
[0.00484242 0.36294206 0.88507594 0.56948479 0.15075563]
[0.69195833 0.75111379 0.92780785 0.57986471 0.6203633 ]]
Generate Random Number From Array
• The choice() method allows you to generate a
random value based on an array of values.
• The choice() method takes an array as a
parameter and randomly returns one of the
values.
Example
• Return one of the values in an array:
from numpy import random
x = random.choice([3, 5, 7, 9])
print(x)
Output
7
• The choice() method also allows you to return
an array of values.
• Add a size parameter to specify the shape of the array.
• Example
• Generate a 2-D array that consists of the values in the
array parameter (3, 5, 7, and 9):
from numpy import random
x = random.choice([3, 5, 7, 9], size=(3, 5))
print(x)
• Output
[[5 9 7 5 9]
[3 7 7 9 7]
[3 7 9 9 5]]
Random Module-Functions
Thank You
