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Re: random number generation

• To: mathgroup@smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg11152] Re: [mg11107] random number generation
• From: Levasseur <levasseu@bit-net.com>
• Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 21:41:10 -0500
• References: <199802221955.OAA14806@smc.vnet.net.>

Christopher Moss wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> I'm a college student and have been given a problem where I must
> generate random numbers using both the lognormal distribution and the
> gumbel (also known as extreme value type 1) distribution.  The problem
> is that the old school professor won't let the class use any built-in
> functions in software packages to do this.  I know Mathematica has this
> and it would be very easy to use :-(.  Does anyone out there have
> "programs" written in Mathematica to generate random numbers.  I can't
> imagine why anyone would go through the exercise of doing this but I
> thought I would take a shot.
> 
> Thankyou,
> ___________________________________________ Christopher Moss
> "The DenKeeper"
> http://home.earthlink.net/~mosser/denkeeper.html
> ___________________________________________

I'm sure I won't be the only one trying to "help" you but here goes:

My guess is that you "old school professor" hopes that you (or one of
your classmates) will develop the next generation of random number
generators and without fully understanding the current
state-of-the-art, you are unlikely to do so.  Also, this understanding
would come in handy if you simply need to defend the results of some
simulation you might do using an off the shelf routine.  

This is why I won't give you the answer.

Ken Levasseur
Math. Sci.
UMass Lowell

• References:
  • random number generation
    • From: "Christopher Moss" <mosser@earthlink.net>