Choose 5 different elements from a list?

Question

What is the best way to choose 5 different elements from a python list and add them to a new list?

Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

Assuming that you want them chosen randomly and that new_list is already defined,

import random

new_list += random.sample(old_list, 5)

If new_list is not already defined, then you can just do

new_list = random.sample(old_list, 5)

If you don't want to change new_list but want to instead create new_new_list, then

new_new_list = new_list + random.sample(old_list, 5)

Now references to new_list will still access a list without the five new elements but new_new_list will reference a list with the five elements.