Generating Random Numbers
Random numbers are important resources for scientific applications, education, game development and visualization.
The standard RTL function random
generates random numbers that fulfill a uniform distribution. Uniformly distributed random numbers are not useful for every application. In order to create random numbers of other distributions special algorithms are necessary.
Normal (Gaussian) Distribution
One of the more common algorithms to produce normally distributed random numbers from uniformly distributed random numbers is the Box-Müller approach. The following function calculates Gaussian-distributed random numbers:
function rnorm (mean, sd: real): real;
{Calculates Gaussian random numbers according to the Box-Müller approach}
var
u1, u2: real;
begin
u1 := random;
u2 := random;
rnorm := mean * abs(1 + sqrt(-2 * (ln(u1))) * cos(2 * pi * u2) * sd);
end;
The same algorithm is used by the randg randg function from the RTL math unit:
function randg(mean,stddev: float): float;
Exponential Distribution
An exponential distribution occurs frequently in real-world problems. A classical example is the distribution of waiting times between independent Poisson-random events, e.g. the radioactive decay of nuclei [Press et al. 1989].
The following function delivers a single real random number out of an exponential distribution. Rate is the inverse of the mean and the constant RESOLUTION determines the granularity of generated random numbers.
function randomExp(a, rate: real): real;
const
RESOLUTION = 1000;
var
unif: real;
begin
if rate = 0 then
randomExp := NaN
else
begin
repeat
unif := random(RESOLUTION) / RESOLUTION;
until unif <> 0;
randomExp := a - rate * ln(unif);
end;
end;
Gamma Distribution
The gamma distribution is a two-parameter family of continuous random distributions. It is a generalization of both the exponential distribution and the Erlang distribution. Possible applications of the gamma distribution include modelling and simulation of waiting lines, or queues, and actuarial science.
The following function delivers a single real random number out of a gamma distribution. The shape of the distribution is defined by the parameters a, b and c. The function makes use of the function randomExp as defined above.
function randomGamma(a, b, c: real): real;
const
RESOLUTION = 1000;
T = 4.5;
D = 1 + ln(T);
var
unif: real;
A2, B2, C2, Q, p, y: real;
p1, p2, v, w, z: real;
found: boolean;
begin
A2 := 1 / sqrt(2 * c - 1);
B2 := c - ln(4);
Q := c + 1 / A2;
C2 := 1 + c / exp(1);
found := False;
if c < 1 then
begin
repeat
repeat
unif := random(RESOLUTION) / RESOLUTION;
until unif > 0;
p := C2 * unif;
if p > 1 then
begin
repeat
unif := random(RESOLUTION) / RESOLUTION;
until unif > 0;
y := -ln((C2 - p) / c);
if unif <= power(y, c - 1) then
begin
randomGamma := a + b * y;
found := True;
end;
end
else
begin
y := power(p, 1 / c);
if unif <= exp(-y) then
begin
randomGamma := a + b * y;
found := True;
end;
end;
until found;
end
else if c = 1 then
{ Gamma distribution becomes exponential distribution, if c = 1 }
begin
randomGamma := randomExp(a, b);
end
else
begin
repeat
repeat
p1 := random(RESOLUTION) / RESOLUTION;
until p1 > 0;
repeat
p2 := random(RESOLUTION) / RESOLUTION;
until p2 > 0;
v := A2 * ln(p1 / (1 - p1));
y := c * exp(v);
z := p1 * p1 * p2;
w := B2 + Q * v - y;
if (w + D - T * z >= 0) or (w >= ln(z)) then
begin
randomGamma := a + b * y;
found := True;
end;
until found;
end;
end;
Erlang Distribution
The Erlang distribution is a two parameter family of continuous probability distributions. It is a generalization of the exponential distribution and a special case of the gamma distribution, where c is an integer. The Erlang distribution has been first described by Agner Krarup Erlang in order to model the time interval between telephone calls. It is used for queuing theory and for simulating waiting lines.
function randomErlang(mean: real; k: integer): real;
const
RESOLUTION = 1000;
var
i: integer;
unif, prod: real;
begin
if (mean <= 0) or (k < 1) then
randomErlang := NaN
else
begin
prod := 1;
for i := 1 to k do
begin
repeat
unif := random(RESOLUTION) / RESOLUTION;
until unif <> 0;
prod := prod * unif;
end;
randomErlang := -mean * ln(prod);
end;
end;
Poisson Distribution
t Distribution
Chi Squared Distribution
The chi squared distribution is a continuous distribution of random numbers with df degrees of freedom. It is the distribution of a sum of the squares of df independent standard normal random variables. The chi squared distribution has numerous applications in inferential statistics, e.g. in estimating variances and for chi-squared tests. It is a special gamma distribution with c = df/ 2 and b = 2. Therefore the following function depends on the function randomGamma.
function randomChisq(df: integer): real;
begin
if df < 1 then randomChisq := NaN
else
randomChisq := randomGamma(0, 2, 0.5 * df);
end;
F Distribution
The F distribution, also referred to as Fisher-Snedecor distribution, is a continuous probability distribution. It is used for F Test and ANOVA. It has two degrees of freedom that serve as shape parameters v and w and that are positive integers.
function randomF(v, w: integer): real;
begin
if (v < 1) or (w < 1) then
randomF := NaN
else
randomF := randomChisq(v) / v / (randomChisq(w) / w);
end;
See also
References
- G. E. P. Box and Mervin E. Muller, A Note on the Generation of Random Normal Deviates, The Annals of Mathematical Statistics (1958), Vol. 29, No. 2 pp. 610–611
- Dietrich, J. W. (2002). Der Hypophysen-Schilddrüsen-Regelkreis. Berlin, Germany: Logos-Verlag Berlin. ISBN 978-3-89722-850-4. OCLC 50451543.
- Press, W. H., B. P. Flannery, S. A. Teukolsky, W. T. Vetterling (1989). Numerical Recipes in Pascal. The Art of Scientific Computing, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-37516-9.
- Richard Saucier, Computer Generation of Statistical Distributions, ARL-TR-2168, US Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21005-5068, March 2000.
- R.U. Seydel, Generating Random Numbers with Specified Distributions. In: Tools for Computational Finance, Universitext, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4471-2993-6_2, © Springer-Verlag London Limited 2012
- Christian Walck, Hand-book on STATISTICAL DISTRIBUTIONS for experimentalists, Internal Report SUF–PFY/96–01, University of Stockholm 2007