Re: Why can't I call Random[NormalDistribution[10.0,0.0]]?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg56137] Re: [mg56106] Why can't I call Random[NormalDistribution[10.0,0.0]]?
- From: Mitch.Stonehocker at sungard.com
- Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 03:52:44 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Mathematica is giving a correct result Random[NormalDistribution[?, ?]] /. {? -> 10, ? -> 0} "NormalDistribution::posscale: The scale parameter 0 is expected to be positive." to see this: PDF[NormalDistribution[?, ?], x] /. ? -> 0 "Indeterminate" You can always force a result by coding a function to do what you want but please don't ask Mathematica to. Cheers, Mitch Stonehocker -----Original Message----- From: barrowes at alum.mit.edu [mailto:barrowes at alum.mit.edu] To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net Subject: [mg56137] [mg56106] Why can't I call Random[NormalDistribution[10.0,0.0]]? Why can't I call Random[NormalDistribution[10.0,0.0]]? I get the error: NormalDistribution::posscale: The scale parameter 0.` is expected to be positive. It seems like I should get a random number with mean 10 and sigma 0. Or in other words, the result should 10 every time. In my program I want an array of number taken from different distributions Map[Random,Thread[NormalDistribution[Array1,Array2]]] And elements of Array2 may be 0 for which I woudl ike the corresponding value in Array1 returned. In fact, Random[NormalDistribution[10.0,0.000000001]] does return 10.0 as expected. This worked in 5.1, but now returns this error in 5.1.1. Anyone have an easy workaround? Thanks, Ben Barrowes