Random.NextDouble Method
.NET Framework 4
Updated: July 2010
Returns a random number between 0.0 and 1.0.
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
The following example uses the NextDouble method to generate sequences of random doubles.
using System; using System.Threading; public class RandomObjectDemo { // Generate random numbers from the specified Random object. static void RunIntNDoubleRandoms( Random randObj ) { // Generate the first six random integers. for( int j = 0; j < 6; j++ ) Console.Write(" {0,10} ", randObj.Next()); Console.WriteLine(); // Generate the first six random doubles. for( int j = 0; j < 6; j++ ) Console.Write(" {0:F8} ", randObj.NextDouble( ) ); Console.WriteLine(); } // Create a Random object with the specified seed. static void FixedSeedRandoms(int seed) { Console.WriteLine( "\nRandom numbers from a Random object with seed = {0}:", seed ); Random fixRand = new Random(seed); RunIntNDoubleRandoms(fixRand); } // Create a random object with a timer-generated seed. static void AutoSeedRandoms() { // Wait to allow the timer to advance. Thread.Sleep(20); Console.WriteLine( "\nRandom numbers from a Random object with an auto-generated seed:"); Random autoRand = new Random(); RunIntNDoubleRandoms(autoRand); } static void Main() { FixedSeedRandoms(123); FixedSeedRandoms(123); FixedSeedRandoms(456); FixedSeedRandoms(456); AutoSeedRandoms(); AutoSeedRandoms(); AutoSeedRandoms(); } } // This example displays output similar to the following: // Random numbers from a Random object with seed = 123: // 2114319875 1949518561 1596751841 1742987178 1586516133 103755708 // 0.01700087 0.14935942 0.19470390 0.63008947 0.90976122 0.49519146 // // Random numbers from a Random object with seed = 123: // 2114319875 1949518561 1596751841 1742987178 1586516133 103755708 // 0.01700087 0.14935942 0.19470390 0.63008947 0.90976122 0.49519146 // // Random numbers from a Random object with seed = 456: // 2044805024 1323311594 1087799997 1907260840 179380355 120870348 // 0.21988117 0.21026556 0.39236514 0.42420498 0.24102703 0.47310170 // // Random numbers from a Random object with seed = 456: // 2044805024 1323311594 1087799997 1907260840 179380355 120870348 // 0.21988117 0.21026556 0.39236514 0.42420498 0.24102703 0.47310170 // // Random numbers from a Random object with an auto-generated seed: // 1005316318 212129543 1298121862 15554380 287332403 1482179893 // 0.54097964 0.57722251 0.26063171 0.74283980 0.86753811 0.35308197 // // Random numbers from a Random object with an auto-generated seed: // 1775844246 1703981883 1692846203 906946687 767878762 1444308819 // 0.70988680 0.60417296 0.24009892 0.64285736 0.65522655 0.84451309 // // Random numbers from a Random object with an auto-generated seed: // 398888527 1048350576 2087570550 1798338994 1248425121 1406437745 // 0.87879396 0.63112340 0.21956613 0.54287493 0.44291500 0.33594421
The following example calls the NextDouble method to generate 100 random numbers and displays their frequency distribution.
using System; public class Example { public static void Main() { int[] frequency = new int[10]; double number; Random rnd = new Random(); for (int ctr = 0; ctr <= 99; ctr++) { number = rnd.NextDouble(); frequency[(int) Math.Floor(number*10)] ++; } Console.WriteLine("Distribution of Random Numbers:"); for (int ctr = frequency.GetLowerBound(0); ctr <= frequency.GetUpperBound(0); ctr++) Console.WriteLine("0.{0}0-0.{0}9 {1}", ctr, frequency[ctr]); } } // The following example displays output similar to the following: // Distribution of Random Numbers: // 0.00-0.09 16 // 0.10-0.19 8 // 0.20-0.29 8 // 0.30-0.39 11 // 0.40-0.49 9 // 0.50-0.59 6 // 0.60-0.69 13 // 0.70-0.79 6 // 0.80-0.89 9 // 0.90-0.99 14
Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2
The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
This function is not very useful
$0From the documentation itself: "A double-precision floating point number greater than or equal to 0.0, and less than 1.0.$0
$0"This means, from the documentation itself, that the upper bounds is unknown. What is the upper bounds of the return value? 0.9, 0.99, 0.999, 0.75, the answer is uncertain. $0
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$0I am guessing this is due in part to the odd Random.Next(Int32, Int32) method, in which its documentation reads: "A 32-bit signed integer greater than or equal to minValue and less than maxValue; that is, the range of return values includes minValue but not maxValue. If minValue equals maxValue, minValue is returned. Did the author of the function of this function make a mistake, it went through the QA process unnoticed, and went into production code as-is and now we're stuck with it? If its current functionality was intended, I would like to know why it was made as such.$0
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$0Anyway, here's a solution that *should* return a value between 0.0 and 1.0 inclusive have this extend the Random class $0
$0public double NextDoubleFixed()$0
$0{ return ( this.Next() / (double)(Int32.MaxValue-1) ); }
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