glenda.party
term% ls -F
term% pwd
$home/manuals/unix_v8/3/rand
term% cat index.txt
RAND(3)                    Library Functions Manual                    RAND(3)



NAME
       rand, lrand, frand, nrand, srand - random number generator

SYNOPSIS
       int rand( )

       long lrand( )

       double frand( )

       int nrand(val)
       int val;

       srand(seed)
       int seed;

DESCRIPTION
       Rand  uses  a  polynominal feedback random number generator with period
       2^49-2^32  to  return  successive  uniform  pseudo-random  numbers   x,
       0<=x<2^15.

       Lrand returns a uniform long x, 0<=x<2^31.

       Frand returns a uniform double x, 0.0<=x<1.0.

       Nrand returns a uniform integer x, 0<=x<val.

       The  generators are initialized by calling srand with whatever you like
       as argument.  To get a different starting value each time,

              srand((int)time(0))

       should work as long as it is not called more often than once  per  sec‐
       ond.

BUGS
       Rand  and  lrand  are  quite machine-dependent.  In principle frand and
       nrand are more portable, but only the Eighth Edition has them.



                                                                       RAND(3)