Talk:Random number generation

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This page is redundant with Randomization and Random number generator. However, I believe it's important to make the bridge between the two.

Randomization is about taking elements and putting them in random order (i.e. shuffling) (or maybe also selecting a random subset), generating random numbers is about just creating numbers at random. The two processes are fairly equivalent.

I believe that random number generator could be merged into this page. Flammifer 09:06, 23 September 2005 (UTC)

the odd thing about this is the fact that i clicked on the Random Article link and this was the page that came up :)

Yes, it should be merged with random number generator at the least. Richard001 05:09, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

I think it should be the other way round. A random number generator is an important kind of computer programme. Random number generation is the technique it uses. FSharpMajor 11:44, 23 February 2007 (UTC)

Yes but Random Number Generation exists outside of computer programming 71.52.51.151

I also believe this page and random number generator should be merged. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.191.137.2 (talk) 19:36, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Practical applications and uses of random numbers

i have a problem with the following sentense: "For instance, a system that 'randomly' selects music tracks for a background music system must only appear to be random; a true random system would have no restriction on the same item appearing two or three times in succession." it just isn't true. most systems to select random music tracks work on the principle of drawing a sample of n songs from the master list without replacement. in this paradigm, repeasts are are possible (a song could be the last in one random sample, and the first in the next), and are not prohibited by the randomness. this is not a problem with random number generators because these playlist selectors are not designed to sample with replacement. lest we all forget our introduction to statistics courses, sampling without replacement is just as random as sampling with replacement. 6 march 2008. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.182.163.125 (talk) 13:07, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Sophie Germain prime

How can the result of 1/q be a random number? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.56.223.168 (talk) 07:55, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

it wouldn't be truly random, but it may have properties close enough to randomness that make it valuable for some purposes. what properties? two major properties are that the numbers should be distributed appoximately according to a uniform distribution, and that the numbers are uncorrelated (that is, the second number doesn't tend to be high if first one is high, or simmilar effects). it is best for the lack of correlation to extend to multiple dimensions (that is, the first three don't have statistically important effects on the second three). 6 march 2008 198.182.163.125 (talk) 13:15, 6 March 2008 (UTC)