javascript: generate 2 random but distinct numbers from range

Question

quick question:

What is the best way for implementing this line of python code (generates two random but distinct numbers from a given range)...

random.sample(xrange(10), 2)

...in Javascript?

Thanks in advance!

Martin

Answer 1

Here is my attempt using splice:

var a = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10];var sample = [];
sample.push(a.splice(Math.random()*a.length,1));
sample.push(a.splice(Math.random()*a.length,1));

Wrapped in a function:

function sample_range(range, n) {
  var sample = [];
  for(var i=0; i<n; i++) {
    sample.push(range.splice(Math.random()*range.length,1));
  }

  return sample;
}

var sample = sample_range([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10], 2);

We could also stick the function into Array.prototype to have something like dot notation syntax:

Array.prototype.sample_range = function(n) {
    var sample = [];
    for(var i=0;i<n;i++) {
      sample.push(this.splice(Math.random()*this.length,1));
    }
    return sample;
};
var sample = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10].sample_range(2);