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Groups > comp.lang.c > #168676
| From | Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> |
|---|---|
| Newsgroups | comp.lang.c |
| Subject | Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set |
| Date | 2022-12-28 03:30 +0000 |
| Organization | A noiseless patient Spider |
| Message-ID | <87y1qsjjc2.fsf@bsb.me.uk> (permalink) |
| References | <todbqe$16sg$1@gioia.aioe.org> <874jtgn7ls.fsf@bsb.me.uk> <tog4u9$c0s$1@gioia.aioe.org> |
Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> writes: > On 27/12/2022 16:18, Ben Bacarisse wrote: >> Albert <invalid@gmail.com> writes: >> >>> Is this the best way to generate unique random numbers in a set of 6 >>> numbers? >> No, but it's a valiant attempt! >> It has a few issues. First, the number of chosen numbers (6) is >> hard-wired into the function as a repeated code pattern. You want to >> avoid both repeated code and code the represents something that is, >> essentially, data. >> You want to aim for a function that takes two numbers, the upper bound >> of the numbers that can be chosen and the number of number to be >> chosen. Personally, I'd also pass a pointer to where the chosen numbers >> should be written. >> But the biggest problem is the algorithm. Unless the range of possible >> choices is vast (and in your case it is only 60) the best method is to >> run through this range, picking each number with the correct >> probability. >> What is the probability that 1 should be chosen? Well, it's 6/60. >> That's easy and if we have a function >> bool true_with_probability(int n, in m); >> that returns true n out of m times we can add 1 to the collection (or in >> your case, just print 1) simply by calling true_with_probability(6, 60) >> in an if statement. >> Now what is the probability that 2 (the next possible candidate) should >> be chosen? Well that depends on what has gone before. If we chose 1 >> previously then we should choose 2 with probability 5/59, but if we did >> not, it should be with probability 6/59. >> I wonder if you can see the pattern and turn it into code using >> variables. You'll have parameters giving the range and the number of >> numbers to pick as well as local variables that track the number of >> numbers considered so far and the number of numbers chosen so far. >> I'm happy to post code, but I think you should try for yourself first. >> > > This seems highly inefficient to me, IIUC. Highly? Surely that depends on the costs. PRNGs are often extremely cheap, and there's something to be said for an algorithm that is three lines with no extra storage at all! Anyway, I think the OP will benefit from seeing a wide range of methods. I think this is a learning exercise. I doubt they have a real application with tight resource bounds, and if they do they didn't tell us. > We have a range of 60 numbers, and we only want 6 of them. With your > method, the expected number of random numbers we have to generate is, > um, I think (60 - 54/7) ? That's around 52.? Yes. If random numbers are the key cost, then I'd use something else. I just posted another algorithm that uses the minimum number of calls. > Everyone elses methods only have 6 random number generations, plus > what seems to me a small overhead to avoid selecting a duplicate. 52 > vs 6+smalloverhead ??? There's no entirely optimal solution for the general case. For example, if you worry about wasted random number calls, then you probably don't want to use a stochastic method when the number of items to be chosen is close to the number range. -- Ben.
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Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Albert <invalid@gmail.com> - 2022-12-26 23:45 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-12-26 16:52 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set tTh <tth@none.invalid> - 2022-12-27 02:44 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-12-27 13:35 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-26 20:47 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-27 15:57 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-27 11:16 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-27 16:59 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-27 12:24 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-27 17:53 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-27 13:50 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-27 20:08 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-27 15:31 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-28 02:57 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-27 23:02 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-29 02:06 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-28 23:42 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-29 12:26 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2022-12-27 07:34 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-27 16:18 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> - 2022-12-28 01:08 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-12-28 03:30 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2022-12-27 19:42 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Manu Raju <MR@invalid.invalid> - 2022-12-27 18:11 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2022-12-28 01:32 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-27 21:13 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2022-12-27 19:48 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-12-27 23:06 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2022-12-29 19:47 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set jak <nospam@please.ty> - 2022-12-28 11:28 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Rosario19 <Ros@invalid.invalid> - 2023-01-01 21:06 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Rosario19 <Ros@invalid.invalid> - 2023-01-02 06:43 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-01 23:19 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set jak <nospam@please.ty> - 2023-01-02 07:28 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set jak <nospam@please.ty> - 2023-01-02 08:48 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-01-01 23:53 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2023-01-02 01:18 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-02 13:49 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2023-01-02 12:27 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2023-01-02 12:13 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-01-02 17:31 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2023-01-02 12:46 -0500
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Siri Cruise <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2023-01-02 18:54 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-01-02 20:52 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-01-03 09:01 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-01-03 07:28 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-03 15:46 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-01-03 18:19 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-08 03:48 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-08 04:18 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-08 03:48 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-08 05:12 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-08 06:01 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2023-01-08 14:48 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-08 18:22 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2023-01-08 17:46 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-09 04:58 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2023-01-09 11:26 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-09 15:57 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2023-01-08 17:34 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ike Naar <ike@sdf.org> - 2023-01-08 21:45 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2023-01-08 23:13 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2023-01-08 15:18 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Paavo Helde <eesnimi@osa.pri.ee> - 2023-01-08 21:19 +0200
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set "Alf P. Steinbach" <alf.p.steinbach@gmail.com> - 2023-01-09 12:03 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-09 17:42 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2023-01-09 14:48 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-01-09 23:22 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2023-01-09 18:28 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2023-01-09 18:44 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-01-10 03:08 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2023-01-09 19:19 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-01-10 17:30 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2023-01-10 09:45 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-01-10 02:57 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-13 08:26 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2023-01-13 03:32 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-13 12:21 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-13 14:11 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-13 13:55 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-13 15:02 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-13 14:17 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-15 16:06 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2023-01-15 16:27 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-15 17:42 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-15 17:11 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set tTh <tth@none.invalid> - 2023-01-08 10:13 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2023-01-08 10:25 +0100
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-01-08 13:20 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2023-01-08 13:09 -0800
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-01-09 02:37 +0000
Re: Compute Unique Numbers in a Set John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2023-01-15 02:49 +0000
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