On Sun, Oct 24, 2010 at 05:17, Steven D'Aprano <st...@pearwood.info> wrote:
> Let probability of heads = p, where 0 <= p <= 1 > Then probability of tails = 1-p. > > if random.random() <= p: print("got heads") > else: print("got tails") My thanks to Evert, Steven, and Alan. I should have thought of that solution. Actually, I used the unfair coin model as the simplest example of the kind of thing I want to do -- which is to model the USD->Yen exchange rate. I want the next quote to vary in a controlled random way, by assigning probabilities to various possible changes in the rate. See <http://tutoree7.pastebin.com/mm7q47cR>. So I assign probability 1/40 to a change of plus or minus .05; 3/40 to .04; 5/40 to .03, etc. An analogy to this would be an unfair 6-sided die, with each side assigned probabilities slightly differing from 1/6 (but totaling 1, of course). I can't see off-hand how to apply the Evert-Steven-Alan solution to these, but is it possible? I'd just like a yes or no -- if yes, I'd like to try to work it out myself. Thanks, Dick _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org To unsubscribe or change subscription options: http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor