Getting random numbers from a list of integers

c#, int, random

Solution

One simple way:

Random r = new Random();
IEnumerable<int> threeRandom = myValues.OrderBy(x => r.Next()).Take(3);

The better way: Fisher–Yates shuffle:

public static class EnumerableExtensions
{
    public static IEnumerable<T> Shuffle<T>(this IEnumerable<T> source)
    {
        return source.Shuffle(new Random());
    }

    public static IEnumerable<T> Shuffle<T>(this IEnumerable<T> source, Random rng)
    {
        if (source == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("source");
        if (rng == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("rng");

        return source.ShuffleIterator(rng);
    }

    private static IEnumerable<T> ShuffleIterator<T>(
        this IEnumerable<T> source, Random rng)
    {
        List<T> buffer = source.ToList();
        for (int i = 0; i < buffer.Count; i++)
        {
            int j = rng.Next(i, buffer.Count);
            yield return buffer[j];

            buffer[j] = buffer[i];
        }
    }
}

how you use it:

IEnumerable<int> threeRandom = myValues.Shuffle().Take(3);

Problem

If I have a list of integers: ``` List<int> myValues = new List<int>(new int[] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 } ); ``` How would I get 3 random integers from that list?

Original source

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