rand(3C)             COMPATIBILITY FUNCTIONS             rand(3C)



NAME
     rand, srand - simple random-number generator

SYNOPSIS
     #include <stdlib.h>

     int rand (void);

     void srand (unsigned int seed);

DESCRIPTION
     rand uses a multiplicative congruential  random-number  gen-
     erator  with  period  2^32  that  returns successive pseudo-
     random numbers in the range from 0 to (2^15)-1.

     The function srand uses the argument seed as a  seed  for  a
     new sequence of pseudo-random numbers to be returned by sub-
     sequent calls to the function rand.  If the  function  srand
     is  then  called  with  the same seed value, the sequence of
     pseudo-random numbers will be  repeated.   If  the  function
     rand is called before any calls to srand have been made, the
     same sequence will be  generated  as  when  srand  is  first
     called with a seed value of 1.

NOTES
     The spectral properties of rand  are  limited.   drand48(3C)
     provides a much better, though more elaborate, random-number
     generator.

SEE ALSO
     drand48(3C).
























          Last change: C Programming Language Utilities         1