Special

Introducing the “Welcome to Xojo” Bundle!

New to Xojo and looking for guidance? We've put together a terrific bundle to welcome you! Xojo Bundle

This bundle includes six back issues of the magazine -- all of year 21 in printed book and digital formats -- plus a one-year subscription (beginning with 22.1) so you'll be learning all about Xojo for the next year. It's the perfect way to get started programming with Xojo. And you save as much as $35 over the non-bundle price!

This offer is only available for a limited time as supplies are limited, so hurry today and order this special bundle before the offer goes away!

Article Preview


Buy Now

Issue 5.1

FEATURE

Basic Random Numbers

Exploring randomness

Issue: 5.1 (September/October 2006)
Author: JC Cruz
Author Bio: JC is a freelance engineering consultant currently residing in British Columbia. He develops custom OS X applications and teaches origami at the local district libraries.
Article Description: No description available.
Article Length (in bytes): 37,197
Starting Page Number: 21
Article Number: 5111
Resource File(s):

Download Icon 5111.zip Updated: 2013-03-11 19:07:59

Related Web Link(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagged_Fibonacci_generator
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_congruential_generator

Excerpt of article text...

We will now enter the field of Monte Carlo methods. But first, we need to understand how random numbers are generated. We will explore two popular algorithms for generating random number sequences. We will also discuss how to evaluate the statistical quality of said sequences using some standard test algorithms.

The Need for Randomness

Monte Carlo methods are a class of algorithms that uses sequences of random numbers to simulate the behavior of certain physical systems. These systems are often too complex to be represented by normal deterministic means. Some examples of such physical systems include Brownian movement, molecular dynamics, and nuclear radiation.

To ensure an accurate Monte Carlo model, a supply of statistically acceptable random numbers is needed. One approach is to use specialized hardware to generate a random sequence. These generators monitor true random events such as background radiation or temperature fluctuations to generate their random sequences.

...End of Excerpt. Please purchase the magazine to read the full article.