Q: Random[]
- To: mathgroup at christensen.cybernetics.net
- Subject: [mg1598] Q: Random[]
- From: elsner at avalon.msfc.nasa.gov (Ron Elsner)
- Date: Tue, 4 Jul 1995 01:18:25 -0400
- Organization: NASA/MSFC
I am constructing a Monte-Carlo simulator in Mathematica for an x-ray polarimeter we are proposing for NASA's Explorer program. I have 2 questions about Random[]: 1. What is its period? This affects how large a Monte-Carlo I can run before losing independence of trials. 2. I understand it gets its seed from the clock. When debugging Monte-Carlo code, I like to set the seed so I can repeat runs. Is this possible for Random[], and if so how? (The seed initiates the sequence of psuedo-random numbers.) Ron Elsner 205-544-7741 ES84 205-544-7754 (fax) NASA MSFC elsner at avalon.msfc.nasa.gov Huntsville, AL 35812