Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Random numbers are unpredictable values that are generated by computer algorithms without any discernible pattern or order. They are often used in simulations, games, cryptography, and statistical analysis.
Related terms
Pseudorandom numbers: Pseudorandom numbers are generated using deterministic algorithms that produce a sequence of numbers that appear to be random but are actually determined by an initial value called a seed.
Uniform distribution: A uniform distribution refers to the probability of each possible outcome being equally likely when generating random numbers.
Seed: A seed is an initial value used as input for the random number generator algorithm. Providing the same seed will result in the same sequence of pseudorandom numbers.