Commodore Plus 4 - Page 73

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Lets examine how your Plus/4 handles random numbers, and some
of the things you can do with them This program generates five com
pletely random numbers
10 FOR X- 1 TO 5:PRINT RND(X):NEXT X
These random numbers are all rather complex, with several p;aces
on the right side of the decimal point... but most uses for random
numbers require whole numbers You can make your numbers come
out as whole numbers (without decimal places) by using the INTeger
function, which cuts off all the digits on the right side of the decimal
point. The following gives you a formula for generating random num
bers in any range you want. You can use this formula almost anywhere
you would use a variable or number in your program,
INT(range" RND(l)) lower limit
The INT command tells the computer to cut off any decimal places and
only give you whole numbers like 1, 45. or 320, instead of numbers like
1.223, 45,6677, or 320.59. Whole numbers are easier to work with when
using random numbers.
Lower Limit in the formula refers to Ihe lowest number you want the
computer to choose from.
Range is how many numbers are in the total group.
For example, if you want to choose a random number from 1 to 5.
Ihe lower limit is 1 and the range is 5. If you want to choose a random
number from 15 to 20. the lower limit would be 15 and the range is 6.
because you are choosing from a pool of 6 numbers. If you're choosing
numbers from 2 to 100. the lower limit is 2 and the range is 99. Now let's
try out a program:
10 PRINT INT(5"RND(1)) - 1
Type RUN and press return RUN the program a few times
Each lime you run the program, you get a random number from 1 to 5.
Now let's onnt 15 random numbers, with the lower limit 1 and the range
5 note that all 15 numbers chosen are selected at random from
between 1 and 5
n.