Re: Balancing randomness
This WebDNA talk-list message is from 2000
It keeps the original formatting.
numero = 27979
interpreted = N
texte = On 2/23/00 4:26 pm, Christer Olsson so noted...>I belive your first results are based on a bad formula: > >[math]pick=[format .0f][math]pick=(([random]/100)*4)+1[/math][/format][/math] > >The part [random]/100)*4)+1 does not do what I think you expect it to do. > >If [random] is from 1-12 (12 figures) your formula will result in 1 >If [random] is from 13-37 (25 figures) your formula will result in 2 >If [random] is from 38-61 (24 figures) your formula will result in 3 >If [random] is from 62-87 (26 figures) your formula will result in 4 >If [random] is from 88-100 (13 figures) your formula will result in 5Excellent call. I had been using [format .0f] as an integer function, which is wrong since [format] is rounding up, not just lopping off the decimal (resulting in the quantities of the end numbers being skewed -- 1 would hit 13 times, 5 would hit 12, the rest at 25).By changing the formula to use floor( )...[math]pick=floor(([random]/100)*5)+1[/math] On my loop of 1000, I get a *far* better distribution:1 = 190 (19%) 2 = 202 (20.2%) 3 = 199 (19.9%) 4 = 207 (20.7%) 5 = 202 (20.2%)Whoo hoo!Now to look through a few websites and find where else I've used my crappy random routine : )P.S. [random] on Mac WC 3.0.5b11 gives numbers from 0-99 -- should I be concerned?Rob Marquardt Designer/Resident Wirehead Toast Design800 Washington Avenue North Minneapolis MN 55401 612.330.9863 v 612.321.9424 f www.toastdesign.com ------------------------------------------------------------- Brought to you by CommuniGate Pro - The Buzz Word Compliant Messaging Server. To end your Mail problems go to
.This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list . To unsubscribe, E-mail to: To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to
Associated Messages, from the most recent to the oldest:
On 2/23/00 4:26 pm, Christer Olsson so noted...>I belive your first results are based on a bad formula: > >[math]pick=[format .0f][math]pick=(([random]/100)*4)+1[/math][/format][/math] > >The part [random]/100)*4)+1 does not do what I think you expect it to do. > >If [random] is from 1-12 (12 figures) your formula will result in 1 >If [random] is from 13-37 (25 figures) your formula will result in 2 >If [random] is from 38-61 (24 figures) your formula will result in 3 >If [random] is from 62-87 (26 figures) your formula will result in 4 >If [random] is from 88-100 (13 figures) your formula will result in 5Excellent call. I had been using [format .0f] as an integer function, which is wrong since [format] is rounding up, not just lopping off the decimal (resulting in the quantities of the end numbers being skewed -- 1 would hit 13 times, 5 would hit 12, the rest at 25).By changing the formula to use floor( )...[math]pick=floor(([random]/100)*5)+1[/math] On my loop of 1000, I get a *far* better distribution:1 = 190 (19%) 2 = 202 (20.2%) 3 = 199 (19.9%) 4 = 207 (20.7%) 5 = 202 (20.2%)Whoo hoo!Now to look through a few websites and find where else I've used my crappy random routine : )P.S. [random] on Mac WC 3.0.5b11 gives numbers from 0-99 -- should I be concerned?Rob Marquardt Designer/Resident Wirehead Toast Design800 Washington Avenue North Minneapolis MN 55401 612.330.9863 v 612.321.9424 f www.toastdesign.com ------------------------------------------------------------- Brought to you by CommuniGate Pro - The Buzz Word Compliant Messaging Server. To end your Mail problems go to .This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list . To unsubscribe, E-mail to: To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to
Rob Marquardt
DOWNLOAD WEBDNA NOW!
Top Articles:
Talk List
The WebDNA community talk-list is the best place to get some help: several hundred extremely proficient programmers with an excellent knowledge of WebDNA and an excellent spirit will deliver all the tips and tricks you can imagine...
Related Readings:
emailer on Windows Beta 18 (1997)
about this server and links to who (1997)
drop down menu (2000)
Comments in db? (1997)
Running 2 two WebCatalog.acgi's (1996)
Almost a there but..bye bye NetCloak (1997)
generate sequential numbers (1999)
Professional WebDNA Hosting Solutions (2005)
Summary search -- speed (1997)
WC 4.0 on OSX 10.0.4 problems (2001)
Server Freeze (1998)
New Command prefs ... (1997)
[WebDNA] Permission Settings (2009)
Some Questions (1997)
no [search] with NT (1997)
[sendmail] on NT? (1997)
Multi Actions (1999)
Questions To Answer (1997)
[Sum] function? (1997)
Emailer help....! (1997)