This is a Swift implementation strongly influenced by the various
answers to Generate random numbers with a given (numerical) distribution.
For Swift 4.2/Xcode 10 and later (explanations inline):
func randomNumber(probabilities: [Double]) -> Int {
// Sum of all probabilities (so that we don't have to require that the sum is 1.0):
let sum = probabilities.reduce(0, +)
// Random number in the range 0.0 <= rnd < sum :
let rnd = Double.random(in: 0.0 ..< sum)
// Find the first interval of accumulated probabilities into which `rnd` falls:
var accum = 0.0
for (i, p) in probabilities.enumerated() {
accum += p
if rnd < accum {
return i
}
}
// This point might be reached due to floating point inaccuracies:
return (probabilities.count - 1)
}
Examples:
let x = randomNumber(probabilities: [0.2, 0.3, 0.5])
returns 0 with probability 0.2, 1 with probability 0.3,
and 2 with probability 0.5.
let x = randomNumber(probabilities: [1.0, 2.0])
return 0 with probability 1/3 and 1 with probability 2/3.
For Swift 3/Xcode 8:
func randomNumber(probabilities: [Double]) -> Int {
// Sum of all probabilities (so that we don't have to require that the sum is 1.0):
let sum = probabilities.reduce(0, +)
// Random number in the range 0.0 <= rnd < sum :
let rnd = sum * Double(arc4random_uniform(UInt32.max)) / Double(UInt32.max)
// Find the first interval of accumulated probabilities into which `rnd` falls:
var accum = 0.0
for (i, p) in probabilities.enumerated() {
accum += p
if rnd < accum {
return i
}
}
// This point might be reached due to floating point inaccuracies:
return (probabilities.count - 1)
}
For Swift 2/Xcode 7:
func randomNumber(probabilities probabilities: [Double]) -> Int {
// Sum of all probabilities (so that we don't have to require that the sum is 1.0):
let sum = probabilities.reduce(0, combine: +)
// Random number in the range 0.0 <= rnd < sum :
let rnd = sum * Double(arc4random_uniform(UInt32.max)) / Double(UInt32.max)
// Find the first interval of accumulated probabilities into which `rnd` falls:
var accum = 0.0
for (i, p) in probabilities.enumerate() {
accum += p
if rnd < accum {
return i
}
}
// This point might be reached due to floating point inaccuracies:
return (probabilities.count - 1)
}