Chris, > I do like the way you simplified using the random function, > I need to start thinking like that.
It is quite clever but quite a subtle twist for a beginner to think of. However even in your version there is a pattern you should look out for: >> coin = random.randrange(2) >> if coin == 0: >> heads += 1 >> else: >> tails += 1 If you assign a value to a variable (ie coin) and then only ever use that variable in the test of a simple if/else construct then you can always eliminate the assignment: if random.randrange(2): tails += 1: else: heads += 1 Bob's trick works because you always get 0 or 1 back, but this shortcut works for any two way check, even ranges: if somefunc() > keyvalue: # do greater than action else: # do other action The caveat is where you need to use the test value inside the if/else and then you do need to explicitly make the assignment. >> print "The coin was flipped 100 times and it was heads " >> +str(heads)+ >> " times and tails " + str(tails) + " times!" Also you don't need to use str() in. Python to proint things because print implicitly calls the string conversion for you. >>> print 5,'+',4,'=',5+4 5 + 4 = 9 Note that it also inserts spaces between the valiues. For more control use the string formatting technique that Bob demonstrated. Looking for these common shortcuts or idioms is a big part of gaining experience with any language. Alan Gauld Author of the Learn to Program web site http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
