.\" @(#)rand.3c 6.2 (Berkeley) 9/29/85

.\"

.TH RAND 3 "September 29, 1985"

.AT 3

.SH NAME

rand, srand \- random number generator

.SH SYNOPSIS

.nf

.ft B

#include <stdlib.h>

void srand(unsigned \fIseed\fP)

unsigned rand(void)

.ft R

.fi

.SH DESCRIPTION

.B Rand

uses a multiplicative congruential

random number generator with period

.if t 2\u\s732\s0\d

.if n 2**32

to return successive pseudo-random

numbers in the range from 0 to

.BR RAND_MAX .

.PP

The generator is reinitialized by calling

.B srand

with 1 as argument.

It can be set to a random starting point by calling

.B srand

with whatever you like as argument.

.SH "SEE ALSO"

.BR random (3).