Balanced Interleaving Algorithm

gistfile1.txt

import random


def a_start_check():
    if random.random() > 0.5:
        print "A first"
        return True
    else:
        print "B first"
        return False


def combine(r_a, r_b):
    k_a = 0
    k_b = 0

    combined_ranking = []

    a_starts = a_start_check()

    while (k_a <= len(r_a) - 1) and (k_b <= len(r_b) - 1):
        if (k_a < k_b) or (k_a == k_b and a_starts):
            if r_a[k_a] not in combined_ranking:
                combined_ranking += [r_a[k_a]]
            k_a += 1


        else:
            if r_b[k_b] not in combined_ranking:
                combined_ranking += [r_b[k_b]]

            k_b += 1
        print k_a, k_b

    return combined_ranking