Random numbers

Question

Hello does anyone know how to generate random numbers?(pseudocode). I need to generate 5000 of them and store in an array to then use insertion sort to sort them. but I just need the random number part of the question Thanks

Vulpes · Answer

If you mean that you have to actually describe a method to generate 5000 random numbers in pseudo-code as opposed to assuming the existence of a built-in Random function then you might as well pick an easy one :) One of the easiest is the Linear Congruential Generator (or LCG) where the random numbers form a sequence given by the equation: x[n+1] = (a * x[n] + c) mod m and where ac and m are unsigned integer constants with a and c both less than m. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_congruential_generator . The choice of the constants is very important here and in the following C# implementation (producing 20 random numbers) I've used a combination known as MINSTD (see http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php/Random_number_generator ). I've seeded the sequence using Environment.TickCount to try and ensure a different set of numbers is generated each time the program is run and scaled the random numbers so that they're in the range 0 to 4999 (may not be necessary). using System; class LCG { static uint m a c; static ulong prev; static void Main() { uint seed = (uint)Environment.TickCount; Initialize(2147483647 16807 0 seed); for (int i = 0; i { Console.WriteLine(GetNext()); } Console.ReadKey(); } static void Initialize(uint m uint a uint c uint seed) { LCG.m = m; LCG.a = a; LCG.c = c; LCG.prev = seed; } static uint GetNext() { prev = (a * prev + c) % m; return (uint)prev % 5000; } } I'm not much good at pseudo-code as you know but here's my attempt: DEFINE 4 unsigned integer variables: m a c and seed DEFINE 1 unsigned long integer variable : prev DEFINE an array of 5000 unsigned integers : numbers LET m be 2147483647 LET a be 16087 LET c be zero LET seed be the number of ticks since the machine was turned on LET prev be equal to seed FOR i = 1 TO 5000 CALL GetNext and assign it to array[i] NEXT i FUNCTION GetNext() AS unsigned integer LET prev = (a * prev + c) MODULO m RETURN prev MODULO 5000 AS unsigned integer END FUNCTION

Avuya Mxoli · Answer

Thanks Vulpes I will try that one and show my lecturer to see if its what he wants

Avuya Mxoli · Answer

Thanks Priya for ur input but I already saw tht section and if u read my post correctly ud see that I was asking for PSEUDOCODE and the articles u are talking abt are mostly in C#

Satyapriya Nayak · Answer

Hi Ncedisa Please refer Our recommended articles section. Thanks