Generate random numbers with a given distribution

Question

Check out this question:

Swift probability of random number being selected?

The top answer suggests to use a switch statement, which does the job. However, if I have a very large number of cases to consider, the code looks very inelegant; I have a giant switch statement with very similar code in each case repeated over and over again.

Is there a nicer, cleaner way to pick a random number with a certain probability when you have a large number of probabilities to consider? (like ~30)

Answer 1

This is a Swift implementation strongly influenced by the various answers to Generate random numbers with a given (numerical) distribution.

For Swift 4.2/Xcode 10 and later (explanations inline):

func randomNumber(probabilities: [Double]) -> Int {

    // Sum of all probabilities (so that we don't have to require that the sum is 1.0):
    let sum = probabilities.reduce(0, +)
    // Random number in the range 0.0 <= rnd < sum :
    let rnd = Double.random(in: 0.0 ..< sum)
    // Find the first interval of accumulated probabilities into which `rnd` falls:
    var accum = 0.0
    for (i, p) in probabilities.enumerated() {
        accum += p
        if rnd < accum {
            return i
        }
    }
    // This point might be reached due to floating point inaccuracies:
    return (probabilities.count - 1)
}

Examples:

let x = randomNumber(probabilities: [0.2, 0.3, 0.5])

returns 0 with probability 0.2, 1 with probability 0.3, and 2 with probability 0.5.

let x = randomNumber(probabilities: [1.0, 2.0])

return 0 with probability 1/3 and 1 with probability 2/3.

---

For Swift 3/Xcode 8:

func randomNumber(probabilities: [Double]) -> Int {

    // Sum of all probabilities (so that we don't have to require that the sum is 1.0):
    let sum = probabilities.reduce(0, +)
    // Random number in the range 0.0 <= rnd < sum :
    let rnd = sum * Double(arc4random_uniform(UInt32.max)) / Double(UInt32.max)
    // Find the first interval of accumulated probabilities into which `rnd` falls:
    var accum = 0.0
    for (i, p) in probabilities.enumerated() {
        accum += p
        if rnd < accum {
            return i
        }
    }
    // This point might be reached due to floating point inaccuracies:
    return (probabilities.count - 1)
}

---

For Swift 2/Xcode 7:

func randomNumber(probabilities probabilities: [Double]) -> Int {

    // Sum of all probabilities (so that we don't have to require that the sum is 1.0):
    let sum = probabilities.reduce(0, combine: +)
    // Random number in the range 0.0 <= rnd < sum :
    let rnd = sum * Double(arc4random_uniform(UInt32.max)) / Double(UInt32.max)
    // Find the first interval of accumulated probabilities into which `rnd` falls:
    var accum = 0.0
    for (i, p) in probabilities.enumerate() {
        accum += p
        if rnd < accum {
            return i
        }
    }
    // This point might be reached due to floating point inaccuracies:
    return (probabilities.count - 1)
}