CHAPTER 20 — The Random Class

Programs frequently need random numbers. A card game uses random numbers to create a shuffled deck of cards. A dice game uses random numbers to simulate a throw. Many activities in the real world (such as traffic on a highway system) appear to be random, and a program that models them uses random numbers. This chapter discusses the Random class that comes with Java.

The chapter discusses:

• Random numbers
• Random number generators
• Uniform and non-uniform distributions
• The Random class
• Seeds for Random()
• Tossing dice
• Picking passwords

Random numbers, probability, and statistics are important for testing, for modeling the world, and for general understanding of the universe. Computer science degree programs usually require a course in these subjects.