RANDOM(C)                            UNIX System V



     Name
          random - generates a random number


     Syntax
          random [-s] [ scale ]


     Description
          random generates a random number on the standard output. and
          returns  the  number  as  its  exit value.  By default, this
          number is either 0 or 1 (i.e., scale is 1 by  default).   If
          scale  is given a value between 1 and 255, then the range of
          the random value is from 0 to scale.  If  scale  is  greater
          than 255, an error message is printed.

          When the -s , ``silent'' option is given, the random  number
          is  returned  as  an  exit  value  but is not printed on the
          standard output.  If an error occurs, random returns an exit
          value of zero.


     See Also
          rand(S)


     Notes
          This  command  does   not   perform   any   floating   point
          computations.

          random uses the time of day as a seed.


     (printed 2/15/90)                                  RANDOM(C)