title: Is there a simple way to make a random selection from an array in JavaScript or any other programming language?
body: <p>I'm reading a beginner's JavaScript book with some code that compares the coder's input (var answer) to a randomly chosen string from an array (answers). It's a guessing game.</p>
  
  <p>I am confused about the way a string is chosen randomly. The code appears to be multiplying the Math.random function by the answers array and its length property. Checking around, this appears to be the standard way to make a random selection from an array? Why would you use a math operator, the *, to multiply... out... a random string based on an array's length? Isn't the length technically just 3 strings?
  I just feel like it should be something simple like 
  index = answers.random. Does that exist in JS or another language?</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;script&gt;
  
  var guess = "red";
  var answer = null;
  
  var answers = [ "red",
  "green",
  "blue"];
  
  var index = Math.floor(Math.random() * answers.length);
  
  if (guess == answers[index]) {
  answer = "Yes! I was thinking " + answers[index];
  } else {
  answer = "No. I was thinking " + answers[index];
  }
  alert(answer);
  
  &lt;/script&gt;
  </code></pre>