(Python) algorithm to randomly select a key based on proportionality/weight

Question

I\'m a bit at a loss as to how to find a clean algorithm for doing the following:

Suppose I have a dict k:

>>> k = {\'A\': 68, \'B\': 62, \'         


        

Answer 1

The algorithm would be this..

Select a number randomly between 1 and 274. To do that, call a rand() funciton (assume it returns a value between 0 and 1), multiply rand() by 274. The resulting value should now be in a range. If its between 1 and 68, select A, if its between 69 and 130 select B and so on. This way, your probability stays alive and your operation succeeds.

PS: I am a Java guy, dont know the syntax of Python.

Answer 2

Here's a weighted choice function, with some code that exercises it.

import random

def WeightedPick(d):
    r = random.uniform(0, sum(d.itervalues()))
    s = 0.0
    for k, w in d.iteritems():
        s += w
        if r < s: return k
    return k

def Test():
    k = {'A': 68, 'B': 62, 'C': 47, 'D': 16, 'E': 81}
    results = {}
    for x in xrange(10000):
        p = WeightedPick(k)
        results[p] = results.get(p, 0) + 1
    print results

Test()

Answer 3

one should also look at this link

make two list for k, say xk and yk

from scipy import stats
custm = stats.rv_discrete(name='test', values=(xk, yk))
custm.rvs(size=1)

Answer 4

I've developed an algorithm a few years ago, with application in Perl and SQL, you can read about it here, complete with analysis and tests why it (most likely) is correct.

The concept is simple: for each item, pick a random number, pull it through some function that depends on the items' weight, and pick the item with the lowest value.

That function is:

x[i] = -log(1 - rand())/weight[i]

Answer 5

The simplest way of doing this when your weights are relatively small integers (such as in your example) is to build a long string containing all the characters in the appropriate weights and choose a character at random from it:

import random
d = {'A': 68, 'B': 62, 'C': 47, 'D': 16, 'E': 81}
s = ''.join(k*v for k,v in d.items())
random.choice(s)

Note though that this method will use quite a lot of memory if your weights are large, in which case you might prefer a different solution.

Answer 6

This should do the trick:

>>> k = {'A': 68, 'B': 62, 'C': 47, 'D': 16, 'E': 81}
>>> import random
>>> def weighted_pick(dic):
...     total = sum(dic.itervalues())
...     pick = random.randint(0, total-1)
...     tmp = 0
...     for key, weight in dic.iteritems():
...         tmp += weight
...         if pick < tmp:
...             return key