I need help with Probability function.

Hey guys, I need to generate a function called "produce" that will return either "peach", "panana", or "papaya" based on their probabilities of 0.20, 0.35, and 0.45 respectively. This is what I have:

function x = produce
A = 1e5;
B = rand;
C = ceil(A*B)
if (1 <= C <= 20000)
    C = 'peach';
elseif ( 20001 <= C <= 55000)
    C = 'panana';
elseif (55001 <= C <= 100000)
    C = 'papaya';
end 
x = C

For some reason, it only generates a return of "peach" no matter what the number is. It won't return panana or papaya when it's in their number range. Please help if you can. Thanks!

Answer 1

[Wayne King]

You can't specify inequalities in a computer language like you write them down on a piece on a paper.

 if (C >=1 && C <= 20000)

 function x = produce
 A = 1e5;
 B = rand;
 C = ceil(A*B)
 if (C>=1 && C<= 20000)
    C = 'peach';
 elseif (C>= 20001 && C<= 55000)
    C = 'panana';
 elseif (C >= 55001)
    C = 'papaya';
 end 
x = C

I would also suggest that you don't assign C which is originally a number a string, why not just assign x directly?

   if (C>=1 && C<= 20000)
    x = 'peach';

and so on?

[Nadia]

That was it. Thanks so much!!!