On Thu, 26 Sep 2002, Shareef Siddeek wrote:
> Hi Statisticians,
>
> I have a simple question. I have the following set of discrete values,
> each one of which has the same probability of selection (i.e.,
> probability distribution is uniform). How do I proceed to select a
> discrete value randomly using the uniform distribution?
>
> 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Dennis gave you a good answer. If you don't like that procedure for some
reason, here are some others. (Details, if not obvious, on request.)
1. Roll a decimal die, and ignore outcomes of 0 (or 10, if that's how the
die is labelled). (A decimal die is a regular icosahedron whose 20 faces
are labelled with on of the 10 digits (0 to 9), each digit appearing
twice. In the ones I've seen, opposite faces have the same digit.)
2. Use a (pseudo-)random number table.
3. As Dennis suggested, use the (pseudo-)random-number generator in your
computer, or in your statistical software package.
4. Remove the face cards and aces from a standard deck of cards (for
poker or bridge). Shuffle the remaining deck and deal a card.
(If you prefer, remove face cards and tens.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Donald F. Burrill [EMAIL PROTECTED]
56 Sebbins Pond Drive, Bedford, NH 03110 (603) 626-0816
[Old address: 184 Nashua Road, Bedford, NH 03110 (603) 471-7128]
.
.
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