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How to get a new random number in javascript

I am very new to JavaScript and I'm sure this question has been answered quite a bit, but when I search my question I don't seem to find an answer (or one that I actually understand :D)
Currently, I'm trying to create a tool to help kids with there multiplication facts and I'm having trouble getting the program to generate new random numbers.
var r1 = Math.floor(Math.random() * 13);
var r2 = Math.floor(Math.random() * 13);
function start() {
println("Welcome to the multipilcation helper! ");
var num = readLine("Pick a number you want to practice or type 'random'!");
var ques = readLine("How many questions do you want?");
if (num == "random") {
for (var i = 0; i < ques; i++) {
var answer = r1 * r2;
println(r1 + "*" + r2);
var check = readLine("what is the answer");
if (check == answer) {
println("thats correct!");
} else {
println("thats wrong! ");
}
}
}
}
The problem is that my variables seem to pick a random number as soon as the script starts and stick with it instead of giving me a new random number.
Can anyone help me out and tell me how to get a new random number every time the variable is called?

Simply create yourself a method like the one below and use it like r() to get a new random number every call.
function r() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 13);
}
console.log(r());
console.log(r());
console.log(r());

In your loop you should be reassigning the random numbers so that they are reassigned every iteration of the loop. Otherwise they stay static to the value you give them at the top.
Also, you should use triple equals in Javascript when checking for equality as it is best practice.

function start() {
console.log("Welcome to the multipilcation helper! ");
var num = prompt("Pick a number you want to practice or type 'random'!");
var ques = prompt("How many questions do you want?");
if (num == "random") {
for (var i = 0; i < ques; i++) {
var r1 = Math.floor(Math.random() * 13);
var r2 = Math.floor(Math.random() * 13);
var answer = r1 * r2;
console.log(r1 + "*" + r2);
var check = prompt("what is the answer");
if (check == answer) {
console.log("thats correct!");
} else {
console.log("thats wrong! ");
}
}
}
}
start()
You random numbers are being static at the moment. They need to be called again. Move your r1 and r2 assignments inside the for.
I don't have enough reputation to comment, but will update the answer
if you explain it with more details.

You need to put the random call in a function in order for it to create a new number each time. When you assign it directly to a variable as you have, it only runs once and stores that value in the variable.
// pick a number between 0 and 13
var random = function() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 13);
}
function start(){
for(var i = 0; i < 15; i++){
// call random function for each number and store in a var
var number1 = random();
var number2 = random();
var answer = number1 * number2;
console.log('equation:', number1 + '*' + number2);
console.log('answer:', answer);
}
}
// call the start function
start()

Having Trouble Understanding Javascript Methods

This is my current assignment :
Add a method that will increase the value of one of the numeric properties.
Add a method that will decrease the value of the same numeric property.
Create a for loop after creating an instance of the character. The loop will iterate 100 times.
Inside the loop call one of the methods based on a random number from zero to 3. Using a switch statement, if the value is 0 then call the method that losses; 1 don’t call anything; 2 call the method that gains.
Here is my current coding. I know I'm doing something wrong. I just can't figure out what I am doing wrong with the switch statement.
var BR = "<br />";
function person(name, sandwiches) {
this.name = name;
this.sandwiches = sandwiches;
function jump() {
var text = " leaps over an obstacle.";
return fname + text;
}
function run() {
var text = " runs as fast as they can";
return fname + text;
}
function dodge() {
var attack = math.random();
var att = math.round(attack);
var defense = math.random();
var def = math.round(defense);
if(att > def) {
return "You missed";
}
else {
return "You dodged";
}
}
function date() {
var today = new Date();
return today.toDateString();
}
function shout() {
var word = "Oh no";
return word.toUpperCase();
}
this.addSandwich = function (sandwiches) {
sandwiches = sandwiches + 1;
return sandwiches;
};
this.loseSandwich = function (sandwiches) {
sandwiches = sandwiches - 1;
return sandwiches;
};
}
var character = new person("Jerry", 1);
for(i=0; i < 100; i++) {
var random = Math.floor(Math.random() * 3);
switch(random) {
case 0:
character.loseSandwich(character.sandwiches);
console.log(sandwiches);
break;
case 1:
break;
case 2:
character.addSandwich(character.sandwiches);
break;
}
}
document.write("Name: " + character.name + BR);
document.write("Sandwiches: " + character.sandwiches + BR);

Math.floor(Math.random() * 3) is not what you want.
You want something like Math.random() % 3 to get 0, 1, or 2 every single time

Not sure if this is your problem, but it is at least one of them;
In a few places you have a lowercase math, for example:
function dodge() {
var attack = math.random();
JavaScript is case-sensitive, and it should be Math.random() not math.random()
Another issue is that these functions:
this.addSandwich = function (sandwiches) {
sandwiches = sandwiches + 1;
return sandwiches;
};
do not change the number of sandwiches. You get in a value of sandwiches, add or subtract 1, then return that changed number, but never use the returned result.
You are only changing the value of the variable that was passed in, not changing the number of sandwiches on the instance of the person.
Note that this.sandwiches (the variable on the instance of a person) is not the same variable as sandwiches (the function argument)
I dont think there is any reason to pass the number of sandwiches into those functions, and they could just do:
this.addSandwich = function () {
this.sandwiches = this.sandwiches + 1;
};
or more simply:
this.addSandwich = function () {
this.sandwiches++;
};
Another problem here:
character.loseSandwich(character.sandwiches);
console.log(sandwiches);
The console.log statement is trying to log sandwiches but that is not a variable at that point. You probably wanted console.log(character.sandwiches); However this wouldn't cause an exception, it would just always log undefined.

Method error: Method name not defined [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Javascript: Do I need to put this.var for every variable in an object?
(6 answers)
Closed 7 years ago.
Why isn't this code working? I'm trying to use the method to add up the properties and then assign the added up properties to its own value.
function howLongILivedSomewhere(college, home1, home2) {
this.birthHome = 18;
this.college = college;
this.home1 = home1;
this.home2 = home2;
this.calcYearsAlive = function() {
return birthHome + college + home1 +home2;
};
this.yearsAlive = calcYearsAlive();
}
var me = new howLongILivedSomewhere(4, 2, 3);
console.log(me);

You missed this keyword during your method / property call. Try like below.
function howLongILivedSomewhere(college, home1, home2) {
this.birthHome = 18;
this.college = college;
this.home1 = home1;
this.home2 = home2;
this.calcYearsAlive = function() {
return this.birthHome + this.college + this.home1 + this.home2;
};
this.yearsAlive = this.calcYearsAlive();
}
var me = new howLongILivedSomewhere(4, 2, 3);
console.log(me.yearsAlive); // output: 27
What is this keyword?
A function's this keyword behaves a little differently in JavaScript compared to other languages. It also has some differences between strict mode and non-strict mode.
Reference:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/this
How does "this" keyword work within a function?

Update the constructor to:
function howLongILivedSomewhere(college, home1, home2) {
this.birthHome = 18;
this.college = college;
this.home1 = home1;
this.home2 = home2;
this.calcYearsAlive = function() {
return this.birthHome + this.college + this.home1 + this.home2;
};
this.yearsAlive = this.calcYearsAlive();
}
var me = new howLongILivedSomewhere(4, 2, 3);
console.log(me);
Use this keyword when you need to access the object properties (see here more details).

Javascript: How to get the value of a function?

I am making a quick game where a player damages a enemy npc. I have a function below that does the calculation for the damage, but I can't get the console log to say i'm doing "X" amount of damage. What am I doing wrong? Instead, it just pulls up the function statement, but I want it to give me the functions value!
var damage = function() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 5 + 1);
};
I'm calling my function in another code properly, but when I try to console log the damage in that other code, I get a error.
function attackButton() {
darkwarrior.hp = darkwarrior.hp - damage();
console.log(darkwarrior.hp);
console.log(damage);

If you run console.log(damage()); you will get the "X" amount of damage instead of the function statement. So you could change attackButton() function to be:
function attackButton() {
var damageDealt = damage();
darkwarrior.hp = darkwarrior.hp - damageDealt;
console.log(darkwarrior.hp);
console.log(damageDealt);

I'm not sure to understand, you want to log the result? If so, you can do that:
var damage = function() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 5 + 1);
};
console.log(damage());
EDIT:
you forgot the (). + the value will not be the same if you don't put it in a variable:
function attackButton() {
var amount = damage()
darkwarrior.hp = darkwarrior.hp - amount;
console.log(darkwarrior.hp);
console.log(amount);
}

you just have to use an expression to assign the value to a variable. Then log it. Then return it.
var damage = function() {
var num = Math.floor(Math.random() * 5 + 1);
console.log(num);
return num;
};
damage();

Something like this should work for you.
function NPC(startingLife, name) {
this.hp = startingLife;
this.name = name
}
NPC.prototype.takeDamage = function(amount) {
this.hp = Math.max(this.hp - amount, 0);
if (this.hp == 0) {
console.log(this.name + " Dies");
}
return this.hp;
};
function damage() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 5 + 1);
}
var darkwarrior = new NPC(4, 'Dark Warrior');
function attackButton() {
var amount = damage();
darkwarrior.takeDamage(amount);
console.log("Dark Warrior took " + amount + " points of damage");
}
document.querySelector('#attack-button').addEventListener("click", attackButton);
<button id="attack-button">ATTACK!</button>

You are just returning the value instead of printing it. You should instead replace return with console.log(

Javascript SetTimeout and Loops [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
How do I add a delay in a JavaScript loop?
(32 answers)
Closed 9 years ago.
Experts.
Javascript not producing desired delay effect.
From other questions, on SO I got to know that, problem is with settimeout and the way I am using it.
But still I am not able to comprehend, how Settimeout works.
So I am putting code here.
Need to use Javascript only, because of knowledge purpose.
Actually I am trying to clear my concepts about this, closure in javascript.
Are they kind of twisted things of Javascript?
var objImg = new Object();
var h;
var w;
var no = 100;
while (no != 500) {
setTimeout(function () {
size(no, no);
}, 2000);
/* it's get executed once, instead of repeating with while loop
Does it leave loop in mid? I get image with 500px height and
width, but effect is not acheived.
*/
no = no + 50;
}
function size(h, w) {
var objImg = document.getElementsByName('ford').item(0);
objImg.style.height = h + 'px';
objImg.style.width = w + 'px';
}

You have two problems :
no will have the value of end of loop when the callback is called
you're programming all your timeouts 2000 ms from the same time, the time the loop run.
Here's how you could fix that :
var t = 0
while (no != 500) {
(function(no) {
t += 2000;
setTimeout(function() { size(no,no);} ,t);
})(no);
no = no+50; // could be written no += 50
}
The immediately executed function creates a scope which protects the value of no.
A little explanation about (function(no) { :
The scope of a variable is either
the global scope
a function
The code above could have been written as
var t = 0
while (no != 500) {
(function(no2) {
t += 2000;
setTimeout(function() { size(no2,no2);} ,t);
})(no);
no += 50;
}
Here it's probably more clear that we have two variables :
no, whose value changes with each iteration and is 500 when the timeouts are called
no2, in fact one variable no2 per call of the inner anonymous function
Each time the inner anonymous function is called, it declares a new no2 variable, whose value is no at the time of call (during iteration). This variable no2 is thus protected and is used by the callback given to setTimeout.

Why not just use setInterval() instead?
var objImg = new Object();
var h;
var w;
var no = 100;
var myInterval = window.setInterval(function() {
size(no, no);
no = no + 50;
if (no >= 500) clearInterval(myInterval);
}, 2000);
function size(h, w) {
var objImg = document.getElementsByName('ford').item(0);
objImg.style.height = h + 'px';
objImg.style.width = w + 'px';
}

Your problem is with your size() function syntax & algorithm:
var objImg = new Object();
var h;
var w;
var no = 100;
var int = window.setInterval(function () {
size(no,no);
no += 50;
},2000)
function size(h, w) {
if (h == 500){
window.clearInterval(int);
return;
}
var height = h + 'px';
var width = w + 'px';
document.getElementsByName('ford').item(0).style.height = height;
document.getElementsByName('ford').item(0).style.width = width;
}
http://jsfiddle.net/AQtNY/2/