Re: random numbers?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg46122] Re: [mg46110] random numbers?
- From: "Sseziwa Mukasa,,(978) 536-2359" <mukasa at jeol.com>
- Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 04:02:03 -0500 (EST)
- References: <200402060915.EAA19284@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
On Feb 6, 2004, at 4:15 AM, sean kim wrote: > hello group. > > this is gonna sound silly. > > How do ppl make random number generators? is a random number > generator like a routine that picks a given set of different number > then goes back to the beginning and starts over? There are a variety of ways, Chapter 7 of Numerical Recipes describes some of the most common methods, it's available online at http://www.library.cornell.edu/nr/bookcpdf/c7-0.pdf. I believe Mathematica uses a sequence based on the evolution of a cellular automaton, at least in some cases. Further description can be found on page 317 of A New Kind of Science which is available here http://wolframscience.com/nksonline/page-317?firstview=1. > How does mathematica determine if a numbder is random? or is that > even a right question to ask? Randomness is a property of a sequence not an individual number. There are a variety of tests of increasing sophistication used to test a sequence for randomness, a quick Google search will provide you with more than enough starting points for further research. > I just wanted to know what the random generator is. There isn't a single one. > and how it's used > in Mathematica. The link to A New Kind of Science will tell you how the expression Random[Integer] is evaluated, at least in the case of large integers. If you are really curious perhaps you should ask Wolfram Technical Support. Regards, Ssezi
- References:
- random numbers?
- From: sean_incali@yahoo.com (sean kim)
- random numbers?