Random Number Generator

I am trying to figure out if there is a way to generate random numbers in
excel.
I have seen the "RAND" function but that only gives you a number between 0
and 1 What I am trying to do is provide excell with s aset of conditions so
that it will spit out the information. I would like to be able to choose the
range of numbers and how many random numbers it provides. For Example

Random # start at : 1
Random # end at : 500
How amny random #'s : 25

and then it provides me 25 random numbers between 1 and 500

if you can help i would greatly appreciate it
thanks

I'd suggest a macro...something like:

TotalSample is the sample size you want (25)
Population is the range of numbers you are pulling the sample from (500-1)+1
= 500 (I use this formula because I am generally enter a beginning and
ending number rather then just entering something like 500).

Sub Random()

For y = 1 To TotalSample
RandomNumber(y) = Int(Population * Rnd + 1)
Call Duplicate_Check(RandomNumber, y, Population) 'Calls
routine to check for duplicate numbers selected
Next y
End Sub

Function Duplicate_Check(RandomNumber, y, Population)

'Loops through all previously selected numbers to determine if duplicates
have been chosen

Beginning:
For z = 0 To y - 1
If RandomNumber(z) = RandomNumber(y) Then
RandomNumber(y) = Int(Population * Rnd + 1)
GoTo Beginning
End If
Next z

End Function

HTH
--
Michael J. Malinsky
Pittsburgh, PA

"I am a bear of very little brain, and long
words bother me." -- AA Milne, Winnie the Pooh

"Rich" wrote in message
...
I am trying to figure out if there is a way to generate random numbers in
excel.
I have seen the "RAND" function but that only gives you a number between 0
and 1 What I am trying to do is provide excell with s aset of conditions
so
that it will spit out the information. I would like to be able to choose
the
range of numbers and how many random numbers it provides. For Example

Random # start at : 1
Random # end at : 500
How amny random #'s : 25

and then it provides me 25 random numbers between 1 and 500

if you can help i would greatly appreciate it
thanks

Rich,

=rand()*500 and copy to a1:a25

This will give you long decimals. If you want whole numbers, just round to
0 places =round(rand()*500,0)

"Rich" wrote:

I am trying to figure out if there is a way to generate random numbers in
excel.
I have seen the "RAND" function but that only gives you a number between 0
and 1 What I am trying to do is provide excell with s aset of conditions so
that it will spit out the information. I would like to be able to choose the
range of numbers and how many random numbers it provides. For Example

Random # start at : 1
Random # end at : 500
How amny random #'s : 25

and then it provides me 25 random numbers between 1 and 500

if you can help i would greatly appreciate it
thanks

Take a look at

http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/randint.html


In article ,
"Rich" wrote:

I am trying to figure out if there is a way to generate random numbers in
excel.
I have seen the "RAND" function but that only gives you a number between 0
and 1 What I am trying to do is provide excell with s aset of conditions so
that it will spit out the information. I would like to be able to choose the
range of numbers and how many random numbers it provides. For Example

Random # start at : 1
Random # end at : 500
How amny random #'s : 25

and then it provides me 25 random numbers between 1 and 500

if you can help i would greatly appreciate it
thanks

Look at

http://www.sulprobil.com/html/random_numbers.html

You will find macros that generate unique random numbers
and you can generate numbers with "likelihood"-slices of
the (0,1)-intervall which could easily transformed into
other intervalls (example: multiply with 500 to get a
(0,500)-intervall. Add or subtract constants to move this
intervall accordingly).

HTH,
sulprobil