Question

I’m trying to create a javascript function that accepts 2 parameters min and max and generates a random number between the two integers. That part is easy.

Where things get rough is that I need to create a conditional that says

function generateNum (min, max) {
  var randNumber = Math.ceil(Math.random()*(max - min)+min);

  if (randNumber === max) {
    // store the result (probably in an array) and generate a new 
    // number with the same behavior as randNumber (e.g. it is also
    // stores it's total in the array and recursively "re-generates 
    // a new number until max is not hit)
  }
}

The idea is to recursive-ise this so that a running total of the number of max hits is stored, combined, and then returned.

For example: The script receives min / max parameters of 5/10 generateNum(5,10){}. If the value generated by randNumber were 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 then there would be no recursion and the function would return that value. If the value generated by randNumber is 10, then the value 10 is stored in an array and the function now “re-tries” recursively (meaning that as many times as 10 is generated, then that value is stored as an additional object in the array and the function re-tries). When the process stops (which could be infinite but has a parabolically decreasing probability of repeating with each recursion). The final number (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) would be added to the total of generated max values and the result would be returned.

Quite an unusual mathematic scenario, let me know how I can clarify if that doesn’t make sense.

Answer 1

That part is easy.

Not as easy as you think… The algorithm that you have is broken; it will almost never give you the minimum value. Use the Math.floor method instead, and add one to the range:

var randNumber = Math.floor(Math.random() * (max - min + 1)) + min;

To do this recursively is simple, just call the method from itself:

function generateNum (min, max) {
  var randNumber = Math.floor(Math.random()*(max - min + 1)) + min;
  if (randNumber == max) {
    randNumber += generateNum(min, max);
  }
  return randNumber;
}

You can also solve this without recursion:

function generateNum (min, max) {
  var randNumber = 0;
  do {
    var num = Math.floor(Math.random()*(max - min + 1)) + min;
    randNumber += num;
  } while (num == max);
  return randNumber;
}

There is no need to use an array in either case, as you don’t need the seprate values in the end, you only need the sum of the values.