3 ms·

If you want a random number in [0,1] with a uniform distribution from N random bits, I don't see how you can expect an epsilon of less than 1/(2**N-1)

• adrianN 5y ago
  Choosing a random float is not the same as choosing a random number.
  • morelisp 5y ago
    What applications call for a "random float in [0,1]" with distribution defined in the space of fp representation and not the usual kind?
    • adrianN 5y ago
      For example you when you want to do fuzzing of some algorithm that uses floats, a random float might come in handy.
      • morelisp 5y ago
        In [0,1]? (I consider this answer nearly disingenuous. It's obviously not what OP was talking about.)
• orlp 5y ago
  Sure, but who said N has to be sizeof(int)? And besides that, the distance between x and successor(x) is not constant throughout the range of [0, 1).
  • lupire 5y ago
    N is sizeof(float), which is conveniently the same as sizeof(int). > And besides that, the distance between x and successor(x) is That is approximately balanced by using random() int / MAXINT