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gawk: Cliff Random Function

 
 10.2.4 The Cliff Random Number Generator
 ----------------------------------------
 
 The Cliff random number generator
 (http://mathworld.wolfram.com/CliffRandomNumberGenerator.html) is a very
 simple random number generator that "passes the noise sphere test for
 randomness by showing no structure."  It is easily programmed, in less
 than 10 lines of 'awk' code:
 
      # cliff_rand.awk --- generate Cliff random numbers
 
      BEGIN { _cliff_seed = 0.1 }
 
      function cliff_rand()
      {
          _cliff_seed = (100 * log(_cliff_seed)) % 1
          if (_cliff_seed < 0)
              _cliff_seed = - _cliff_seed
          return _cliff_seed
      }
 
    This algorithm requires an initial "seed" of 0.1.  Each new value
 uses the current seed as input for the calculation.  If the built-in
 'rand()' function (Numeric Functions) isn't random enough, you
 might try using this function instead.
 

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