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From: melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: Random Numbers
Message-ID: <y72G9jw?@cs.psu.edu>
Date: 4 Mar 91 05:24:13 GMT
References: <r7bGl?wz@cs.psu.edu> <1991Mar2.201214.22848@herald.usask.ca>
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In-Reply-To: reeves@dvinci's message of Sat, 2 Mar 91 20:12:14 GMT
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In article <1991Mar2.201214.22848@herald.usask.ca> reeves@dvinci (Malcolm Reeves) writes:


   (1) Must the generator be able to produce an identical sequence on request?
   (2) Must the code be portable from machine to machine and give the same
       results?
   (3) What tests of randomness must the numbers pass?
   (4) What distribution do you want the numbers to have?

I just need a random number between 1 and 100 so I can index an array
that holds the result.  For example, if the number is random then I
should have a 40% chance of picking the number 20 if I pick a random
number b/w 1 and 5.

index   1   2   3    4   5
value   1  20  20   34   1

In other words, I know the exact distribution.  Seeding srand() with
the value of the clock should work.  Does anyone see any problems with
this?  Another question...next message.


-Mike