n combination with LIMIT
mysql>
mysql>
mysql> CREATE TABLE die
-> (
-> n INT
-> );
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> INSERT INTO die (n) VALUES(1);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql> INSERT INTO die (n) VALUES(2);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql> INSERT INTO die (n) VALUES(3);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql> INSERT INTO die (n) VALUES(4);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql> INSERT INTO die (n) VALUES(5);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql> INSERT INTO die (n) VALUES(6);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> SELECT * FROM die;
+------+
| n |
+------+
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
+------+
6 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> SELECT * FROM die ORDER BY RAND( ) LIMIT 5;
+------+
| n |
+------+
| 2 |
| 6 |
| 1 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
+------+
5 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> drop table die;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)