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DRAND48(P)		   POSIX Programmer's Manual		    DRAND48(P)

NAME
       drand48,	 erand48, jrand48, lcong48, lrand48, mrand48, nrand48, seed48,
       srand48 - generate uniformly distributed pseudo-random numbers

SYNOPSIS
       #include <stdlib.h>

       double drand48(void);
       double erand48(unsigned short xsubi[3]);
       long jrand48(unsigned short xsubi[3]);
       void lcong48(unsigned short param[7]);
       long lrand48(void);
       long mrand48(void);
       long nrand48(unsigned short xsubi[3]);
       unsigned short *seed48(unsigned short seed16v[3]);
       void srand48(long seedval);

DESCRIPTION
       This family of functions shall generate pseudo-random numbers  using  a
       linear congruential algorithm and 48-bit integer arithmetic.

       The  drand48()  and erand48() functions shall return non-negative, dou‐
       ble-precision, floating-point values, uniformly	distributed  over  the
       interval [0.0,1.0).

       The  lrand48()  and nrand48() functions shall return non-negative, long
       integers, uniformly distributed over the interval [0,2**31).

       The mrand48() and jrand48() functions shall return signed long integers
       uniformly distributed over the interval [-2**31,2**31).

       The  srand48(),	seed48(),  and	lcong48() functions are initialization
       entry points, one of which should be invoked before  either  drand48(),
       lrand48(),  or  mrand48()  is  called.  (Although it is not recommended
       practice, constant default initializer values shall be  supplied	 auto‐
       matically  if  drand48(),  lrand48(),  or mrand48() is called without a
       prior call to an initialization entry point.) The erand48(), nrand48(),
       and jrand48() functions do not require an initialization entry point to
       be called first.

       All the routines work by generating a sequence of 48-bit	 integer  val‐
       ues,  X_i , according to the linear congruential formula: X_n+1 = (aX_n
       + c)_mod m   n>= 0

       The parameter m = 2**48; hence 48-bit integer arithmetic is  performed.
       Unless  lcong48()  is  invoked,	the  multiplier value a and the addend
       value c are given by: a = 5DEECE66D_16 = 273673163155_8

       c = B_16 = 13_8

       The value returned by  any  of  the  drand48(),	erand48(),  jrand48(),
       lrand48(),  mrand48(), or nrand48() functions is computed by first gen‐
       erating the next 48-bit X_i in the sequence. Then the appropriate  num‐
       ber  of	bits,  according  to the type of data item to be returned, are
       copied from the high-order (leftmost) bits of X_i and transformed  into
       the returned value.

       The drand48(), lrand48(), and mrand48() functions store the last 48-bit
       X_i generated in an internal buffer; that is why the application	 shall
       ensure	that  these  are  initialized  prior  to  being	 invoked.  The
       erand48(), nrand48(), and jrand48() functions require the calling  pro‐
       gram  to	 provide  storage  for	the successive X_i values in the array
       specified as an argument when the functions are invoked.	 That  is  why
       these  routines	do  not	 have  to  be initialized; the calling program
       merely has to place the desired initial value of X_i into the array and
       pass  it	 as  an	 argument.  By	using  different arguments, erand48(),
       nrand48(), and jrand48() allow separate modules of a large  program  to
       generate several independent streams of pseudo-random numbers; that is,
       the sequence of numbers in each stream shall not depend upon  how  many
       times  the  routines  are  called  to  generate	numbers	 for the other
       streams.

       The initializer function srand48() sets the high-order 32 bits  of  X_i
       to  the	low-order  32 bits contained in its argument. The low-order 16
       bits of X_i are set to the arbitrary value 330E_16.

       The initializer function seed48() sets the value of X_i to  the	48-bit
       value specified in the argument array. The low-order 16 bits of X_i are
       set to the low-order 16 bits of seed16v[0].  The mid-order 16  bits  of
       X_i  are	 set to the low-order 16 bits of seed16v[1]. The high-order 16
       bits of X_i are set to the low-order 16 bits of	seed16v[2].  In	 addi‐
       tion,  the  previous value of X_i is copied into a 48-bit internal buf‐
       fer, used only by seed48(), and a pointer to this buffer is  the	 value
       returned	 by seed48(). This returned pointer, which can just be ignored
       if not needed, is useful if a program is to be restarted from  a	 given
       point  at some future time-use the pointer to get at and store the last
       X_i value, and then use this value to reinitialize  via	seed48()  when
       the program is restarted.

       The  initializer function lcong48() allows the user to specify the ini‐
       tial X_i , the multiplier value a, and the addend  value	 c.   Argument
       array  elements	param[0-2] specify X_i , param[3-5] specify the multi‐
       plier a, and param[6] specifies the 16-bit addend c. After lcong48() is
       called, a subsequent call to either srand48() or seed48() shall restore
       the standard multiplier and addend values, a and c, specified above.

       The drand48(), lrand48(), and mrand48() functions  need	not  be	 reen‐
       trant.  A function that is not required to be reentrant is not required
       to be thread-safe.

RETURN VALUE
       As described in the DESCRIPTION above.

ERRORS
       No errors are defined.

       The following sections are informative.

EXAMPLES
       None.

APPLICATION USAGE
       None.

RATIONALE
       None.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS
       None.

SEE ALSO
       rand()  ,  the  Base  Definitions   volume   of	 IEEE Std 1003.1-2001,
       <stdlib.h>

COPYRIGHT
       Portions	 of  this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
       --  Portable  Operating	System	Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
       Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003	by  the	 Institute  of
       Electrical  and	Electronics  Engineers, Inc and The Open Group. In the
       event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
       The  Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard
       is the referee document. The original Standard can be  obtained	online
       at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

IEEE/The Open Group		     2003			    DRAND48(P)
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