Generate random integers with probabilities

Question

I\'m a bit confused about how to generate integer values with probabilities.

As an example, I have four integers with their probability values: 1|0.4, 2|0.3, 3|0.2,

Answer 1

I suggest to use a continuous check of the probability and the rest of the random number.

This function sets first the return value to the last possible index and iterates until the rest of the random value is smaller than the actual probability.

The probabilities have to sum to one.

function getRandomIndexByProbability(probabilities) {
    var r = Math.random(),
        index = probabilities.length - 1;

    probabilities.some(function (probability, i) {
        if (r < probability) {
            index = i;
            return true;
        }
        r -= probability;
    });
    return index;
}

var i,
    probabilities = [0.4, 0.3, 0.2, 0.09, 0.01 ],
    count = {},
    index;

probabilities.forEach(function (a) { count[a] = 0; });

for (i = 0; i < 1e6; i++) {
    index = getRandomIndexByProbability(probabilities);
    count[probabilities[index]]++
}

console.log(count);