rand(3C)                                                 rand(3C)



     NAME
          rand, srand - simple random-number generator

     SYNOPSIS
          int rand()

          void srand(seed)
          unsigned seed;

     DESCRIPTION
          rand uses a multiplicative congruential random-number gen-
          erator with period 2 power of 32 that returns successive
          pseudo-random numbers in the range from 0 to 32767.

          srand can be called at any time to reset the random-number
          generator to a random starting point.  The generator is ini-
          tially seeded with a value of 1.

     NOTES
          The spectral properties of rand leave a great deal to be
          desired.  drand48(3C) provides a much better, though more
          elaborate, random-number generator.

     SEE ALSO
          drand48(3C).






























     April, 1990                                                     1