My major professor and I kept a random number generator in the lab when we needed random numbers for creating multiple orders of items in a list or creating other random assignments: Three pennies in a box. :-)
On a serious note, statisticians have multiple tests to evaluate the quality of a series of numbers as generated by a random number algorithm for Monte Carlo simulations. Fun to look at those tests, each of which focuses on a specific valued characteristic of a random sequence. Testing a random number generator is also a good way to approach teaching about how to use multiple operational definitions to converge on an underlying concept (randomness). Claudia _____________________________________________ Claudia J. Stanny, Ph.D. Director Center for University Teaching, Learning, and Assessment University of West Florida Pensacola, FL 32514 Phone: (850) 857-6355 (direct) or 473-7435 (CUTLA) [email protected] CUTLA Web Site: http://uwf.edu/offices/cutla/ <http://uwf.edu/cutla/> Personal Web Pages: http://uwf.edu/cstanny/website/index.htm On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 11:39 AM, Wuensch, Karl L <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Do keep in mind that random numbers are not random. It is a > deterministic procedure that produces them. In fact, for the typical > random number generator, if you run it twice with the same seed you will > get exactly the same two sets of “random” numbers. > > Cheers, > > [image: Karl L. Wuensch] <http://core.ecu.edu/psyc/wuenschk/klw.htm> > > > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=39072 or send a blank email to leave-39072-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
