How Computers Generate Random Numbers
How Computers Generate Random Numbers
Synopsis: How can computers, which are completely deterministic
machines, generate "random" numbers?
Many computer programming languages today include a
function for generating random numbers.
This paper presents some background theory in basic
probability theory and inferential statistics. We then
present a number of empirical tests for analyzing a
computer generated sequence of random numbers, and we
apply these tests to several popular random number
generators.
Paradoxes of Probability
A treatise on probability theory wouldn't be complete
without a number of paradoxes to thoroughly confuse you.
Here are a few classic ones.
Generating random integers within a desired range
How to generate random numbers in the range:
r = [0,1) a real value
x = [0,M) a real value
y = [0,M) an integer value
z = [1,M] an integer value
Using the C and C++ rand() function
How to use the rand() random number generator.
Back to Deley's Home Page
email David Deley: deleyd@cox.net