Random Number Generator

This version of the generator creates a random integer. It can deal with very large integers up to a few thousand digits.

Comprehensive Version

This version of the generator can create one or many random integers or decimals. It can deal with very large numbers with up to 999 digits of precision.

A random number is a number chosen from a pool of limited or unlimited numbers that has no discernible pattern for prediction. The pool of numbers is almost always independent from each other. Howeverthe pool of numbers may follow a specific distribution. For examplethe height of the students in a school tends to follow a normal distribution around the median height. If the height of a student is picked at randomthe picked number has a higher chance to be closer to the median height than being classified as very tall or very short. The random number generators above assume that the numbers generated are independent of each otherand will be evenly spread across the whole range of possible values.

A random number generatorlike the ones aboveis a device that can generate one or many random numbers within a defined scope. Random number generators can be hardware based or pseudo-random number generators. Hardware based random-number generators can involve the use of a dicea coin for flippingor many other devices.

A pseudo-random number generator is an algorithm for generating a sequence of numbers whose properties approximate the properties of sequences of random numbers. Computer based random number generators are almost always pseudo-random number generators. Yetthe numbers generated by pseudo-random number generators are not truly random. Likewiseour generators above are also pseudo-random number generators. The random numbers generated are sufficient for most applications yet they should not be used for cryptographic purposes. True random numbers are based on physical phenomena such as atmospheric noisethermal noiseand other quantum phenomena. Methods that generate true random numbers also involve compensating for potential biases caused by the measurement process.