[Patches] [ python-Patches-629637 ] Add a sample selection method to random.py

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Patches item #629637, was opened at 2002-10-27 21:03
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Category: Library (Lib)
Group: Python 2.3
Status: Open
Resolution: None
Priority: 5
Submitted By: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger)
Assigned to: Martin v. Löwis (loewis)
Summary: Add a sample selection method to random.py

Initial Comment:
random.randset(n, k) returns a k length list of unique 
integers in the range [0,n).

Improves on a Cookbook submission by using the 
parameters to select between a shuffle algorithm and 
a dictionary algorithm.

I want to add this to the library because it is a simple, 
robust solution to a general selection problem and 
because it isn't obvious that two different algorithms 
are needed to balance speed/space trade-offs.

If approved, will add docs and a news item.

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>Comment By: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger)
Date: 2002-11-05 10:36

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Like shuffle() and choose(), random sampling without 
replacement is one of the core principal use cases for 
random numbers.

Acceptance testing often requires a fixed number of non-
overlapping samples i.e.  Selecting 60 transactions out of 
a 1000 and finding zero errors yields a 95% confidence 
that the population has less than a 5% error rate.

Some simulations also need groups of non-overlapping 
samples i.e. a lottery result of six unique numbers 
selected from a range of 1 to 57.  An electronic raffle picks 
consecutive winners without allowing previous winners to 
be  reselected.

While sampling with replacement is trivial to implement 
with a list comprehension, sampling without replacement 
has a number of implementation nuances that makes it 
worthwhile to have a robust solution already implemented 
in the random library.




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Comment By: Martin v. Löwis (loewis)
Date: 2002-11-05 03:27

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Can you explain why this needs to be in the standard
library? I.e. what typical application would use it?

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Comment By: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger)
Date: 2002-11-05 01:33

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Martin, do you have time to give this patch a second 
review?

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Comment By: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger)
Date: 2002-10-31 02:29

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Added new version with local variable optimization and 
with the dictionary results returned in selection order.


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Comment By: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger)
Date: 2002-10-28 23:42

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Renamed to random.sample(n,k) to show that it is used 
for sampling without replacement.

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Comment By: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger)
Date: 2002-10-28 23:42

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Renamed to random.sample(n,k) to show that it is used 
for sampling without replacement.

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Comment By: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger)
Date: 2002-10-28 07:54

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Added full patch with news item and docs.

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