Scratch

I guess so:

set variable2 to 0
repeat until <variable2 = 1>
  set variable to (pick random 1 to 4)
  if <not <variable = 3> >
    set variable2 to 1
  end if
end repeat

EDIT: The poster above me is much more accurate 

In theory, of course, the above code could execute forever  . Try this:

set num to (random 1 to 3)
if <num = 3 >
  set num to 4

The best way to do this would be with LISTS.

Add 1,2and 4 to a list and say
set [num] to (item (any) of [list)

Tada! Easy peesy.

Harakou wrote:

coolstuff wrote:

fullmoon wrote:

In theory, of course, the above code could execute forever  . Try this:

Code:

set num to (random 1 to 3)
if <num = 3 >
  set num to 4

But then there's a much, much higher chance of getting 4 than the others.

That's what I though at first too, but it's not so! In picking a number from 1 to 4, but excluding 3, the odds of picking each number is 1`in 3. Picking from 1 to 3, there is 1 in 3 odds as well, except that 3 will equal 4. It's brilliant, actually. 

I disagree.

Here's a chart of the original results vs. the final results:

1  1
2  2
3  4
4  4

Thus there is half a chance of getting four.

Harakou wrote:

coolstuff wrote:

Harakou wrote:

That's what I though at first too, but it's not so! In picking a number from 1 to 4, but excluding 3, the odds of picking each number is 1`in 3. Picking from 1 to 3, there is 1 in 3 odds as well, except that 3 will equal 4. It's brilliant, actually. 

I disagree.

Here's a chart of the original results vs. the final results:

1  1
2  2
3  4
4  4

Thus there is half a chance of getting four.

Ah, but he is picking a random number from 1 to 3, not 1 to 4.

Oh! I totally missed that 

My bad    Of course, that strategy will still only work if there is equal or less unwanted numbers as there is wanted numbers 

Yes it is. Although I did have to experiment a bit with this. Here's a picture of how i would do it:



where the exclusion list contins the numbers you don't want. Note that you can also change the pick random value and it will still work

markyiscool wrote:

Yes it is. Although I did have to experiment a bit with this. Here's a picture of how i would do it:



where the exclusion list contins the numbers you don't want. Note that you can also change the pick random value and it will still work

This does the same thing: 

samurai768 wrote:

The best way to do this would be with LISTS.

Add 1,2and 4 to a list and say
set [num] to (item (any) of [list)

Tada! Easy peesy

Hmm...A list for exclusions, or a list of acceptable numbers to pick from? I suppose it would depend on which is longer: the list of acceptable numbers, or the list of excluded numbers.

Of course, if you had a lot of different times where you had to pick a random number, and each time the numbers were different, you'd have to have a lot of lists.

I guess which method you use depends on how it's going to be used.

Last edited by Harakou (2010-07-12 23:23:26)

markyiscool wrote:

My way works best in different scenarios while juststickman's idea will only be pratical in this scenario. What if I wanted a random number between 1 and a certain variable that changes?

Well I suppose, again, that it would really depend on what you wanted to exclude.