Some Techniques for Testing Pseudo-Random Number Sequences.
Abstract
Statistical tests are presented which may be applied to any type of pseudo-random number generator to ascertain whether its statistics have certain desired properties. Possible pitfalls are discussed, along with a computer program to implement these tests. The program was applied to several types of uniformly-distributed generators, including the mixed-congruence, the exclusive-or-and-shift, and the CDC RANF generator. Each of these was found to exhibit statistical irregularities, indicating that care is necessary in the selection of a generator. A second computer program is described which tests the correlation between two pseudo-random number sequences. A practical example of its application provides insight into the generation of multiple sequences with a single generator. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 21, 1974
- Accession Number
- AD0785379
Entities
People
- James L. Mannos
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology