Generating a random number in JavaScript
A popular question on
CodingForums.com is
how to generate a random number in JavaScript. A random number is useful- if
not required- in the creation of certain popular JS applications, such as a
dice, random image script, or random link generator. In this JavaScript
article, we'll learn how to output a random number that falls within the
range 1 to x, where x is any integer >1.
The results may be unpredictable, but the technique to getting them
certainly is not. To generate a random number in JavaScript, simply use the
following code:
var randomnumber=Math.floor(Math.random()*11)
where 11 dictates that the random number will fall between 0-10. To increase
the range to, say, 100, simply change 11 to 101 instead.
Some of you may be curious as to why Math.floor(), instead of Math.round(),
is used in the above code. While both successfully round off its containing
parameter to an integer within the designated range, Math.floor does so more
"evenly", so the resulting integer isn't lopsided towards either end of the
number spectrum. In other words, a more random number is returned using
Math.floor(). By the way, the
Random Motivational script
uses just the aforementioned code to randomly display a quote.