Computationally simple Pseudo-Gaussian Distribution with varying mean and standard deviation?

Posted by mstksg on Stack Overflow See other posts from Stack Overflow or by mstksg
Published on 2010-05-14T06:52:41Z Indexed on 2010/05/14 6:54 UTC
Read the original article Hit count: 349

Filed under:

random-number-generator

|

pseudo-random-numbers

|

probability-theory

|

gaussian

|

probability

This picture from wikipedia has a nice example of the sort of functions I'd ideally like to generate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Normal_Distribution_PDF.svg

Right now I'm using the Irwin-Hall Distribution, which is more or less a Polynomial approximation of the Gaussian distribution...basically, you use uniform random number generator and iterate it x times, and take the average. The more iterations, the more like a Gaussian Distribution it is.

It's pretty nice; however I'd like to be able to have one where I can vary the mean. For example, let's say I wanted a number between the range 0 and 10, but around 7. Like, the mean (if I repeated this function multiple times) would turn out to be 7, but the actual range is 0-10.

Is there one I should look up, or should I work on doing some fancy maths with standard Gaussian Distributions?

© Stack Overflow or respective owner

Related posts about random-number-generator

C# Random Number Generator getting stuck in a cycle

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
Hi, I am using .NET to create an artificial life program and I am using C#'s pseudo random class defined in a Singleton. The idea is that if I use the same random number generator throughout the application, I could merely save the seed and then reload from the seed to recompute a certain interesting… >>> More
Code Golf: MSM Random Number Generator

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
The challenge The shortest code by character count that will generate (pseudo)random numbers using the Middle-Square Method. The Middle-Square Method of (pseudo)random number generation was first suggested by John Von Neumann in 1946 and is defined as follows: Rn+1 = mid((Rn)2, m) For example: … >>> More
Get special numbers from a random number generator

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I have a random number generator: int32_t ksp_random_table[GENERATOR_DEG] = { -1726662223, 379960547, 1735697613, 1040273694, 1313901226, 1627687941, -179304937, -2073333483, 1780058412, -1989503057, -615974602, 344556628, 939512070, -1249116260, 1507946756, -812545463, 154635395,… >>> More
Biased Random Number Generator

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I am looking for a random number generator that can be biased. For instance, say I want a random number between 1-5, with the probability being: 1: Comes up 20% of the time 2: Comes up 10% of the time 3: Comes up 40% of the time 4: Comes up 25% of the time 5: Comes up 5% of the time Is there anything… >>> More
Random number Generator in C#

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
Why do i need to create an instance of Random class, if i want to create a random number between 1 and 100 ....like Random rand = new Random(); rand.Next(1,100); Is there any static function of Random class to do the same? like... Random.Next(1,100); I don't want to create an instance unnecessaril… >>> More

Related posts about pseudo-random-numbers

Pseudo random numbers in php

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I have a function that outputs items in a different order depending on a random number. for example 1/2 of the time Popeye's and its will be #1 on the list and Taco Bell and its logo will be #2 and half the time the it will be the other way around. The problem is that when a user reloads or comes… >>> More
A function where small changes in input always result in large changes in output

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I would like an algorithm for a function that takes n integers and returns one integer. For small changes in the input, the resulting integer should vary greatly. Even though I've taken a number of courses in math, I have not used that knowledge very much and now I need some help... An important… >>> More
Biased Random Number Generator

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I am looking for a random number generator that can be biased. For instance, say I want a random number between 1-5, with the probability being: 1: Comes up 20% of the time 2: Comes up 10% of the time 3: Comes up 40% of the time 4: Comes up 25% of the time 5: Comes up 5% of the time Is there anything… >>> More
Computationally simple Pseudo-Gaussian Distribution with varying mean and standard deviation?

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
This picture from wikipedia has a nice example of the sort of functions I'd ideally like to generate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Normal_Distribution_PDF.svg Right now I'm using the Irwin-Hall Distribution, which is more or less a Polynomial approximation of the Gaussian distribution...basically… >>> More
RANDOM Number Generation in C

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
Recently i have begun development of a simple game. It is improved version of an earlier version that i had developed. Large part of the game's success depends on Random number generation in different modes: MODE1 - Truly Random mode myRand(min,max,mode=1); Should return me a random integer… >>> More