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angiejang
3,134 PointsI just don’t get the math :(
I understand how to use function and argument very well but I just don’t get the math Have I skipped a course? Because I don’t remember learning how to do this math... Can someone remember which exact course we’ve learned this? I’ve been tryin to understand it for a while now and I still have some questions.
Math.floor(Math.random() * (upper - lower + 1) + lower)
- Why is it necessary to subtract the lower value from the upper value?
- Is 1 added to prevent the random value to be 0?
- is the lower value added in the end so the final number would be bigger than lower value?
4 Answers
Steven Parker
231,271 PointsTo clarify, the basic formula is: random * spread + lower
Since the random number goes from 0 to (almost) 1, then the value you multiply it by (the "spread") spreads it out so it covers more numbers. But it still starts with 0, so you add the lower number to raise the result into the intended range.
Now the spread is calculated by: upper - lower + 1
You subtract the lower from the upper to get how many numbers are in between, and you add one more because you want the target range to include the upper endpoint.
For example, if you wanted numbers between 6 and 9 (inclusive), you would subtract the lower (6) from the upper (9) to get 3, and then add one more to get 4. And 4 is how many numbers are in the range you want (6, 7, 8 and 9).
So if you multiply random by 4 you get some number between 0 and 3. And then when you add 6, it shifts it up into your intended target range, which is between 6 and 9.
Does it make sense now?
angiejang
3,134 PointsI've tried... where did I go wrong :(((
var upperNum = prompt("please pick upper number");
var lowerNum = prompt("please pick lower number");
function getNumber(upperNum, lowerNum) {
var randomNum = Math.floor(Math.random() * (upperNum - lowerNum + 1)) + lowerNum;
return randomNum;
}
document.write(getNumber(upperNum, lowerNum));
Steven Parker
231,271 PointsYour function is fine, but it is expecting number arguments instead of strings:
var upperNum = parseInt(prompt("please pick upper number")); // convert to a number
var lowerNum = parseInt(prompt("please pick lower number"));
angiejang
3,134 PointsOMG I'm such an idiot haha thanks so much for the help I really appreciate it. I don't think I'll ever forget parseInt () now haha
Ewerton Luna
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Graduate 24,031 PointsJust to answer your question regarding if the teacher explains this formula in a previous course: yes, he does!
I don't know in what course exactly, but I remember seeing it in JavaScript Basics when he talks about the JavaScripts Math object.
Trevor Osterman
4,016 PointsTrevor Osterman
4,016 PointsI'm not the original poster, but I had the same question, and yes that makes more sense now. I was confused, however, since I didn't remember covering this previously in this lesson either.
Steven Parker
231,271 PointsSteven Parker
231,271 PointsGlad it helped, happy coding!
Jansen van der Spuy
3,936 PointsJansen van der Spuy
3,936 PointsI knew it was simple but kept tripping over it for some reason. Awesome explanation, thank you.