Method: Random#rand

Defined in:
random.c

#rand ⇒ Float #rand(max) ⇒ Numeric #rand(range) ⇒ Numeric

When max is an Integer, rand returns a random integer greater than or equal to zero and less than max. Unlike Kernel.rand, when max is a negative integer or zero, rand raises an ArgumentError.

prng = Random.new
prng.rand(100)       # => 42

When max is a Float, rand returns a random floating point number between 0.0 and max, including 0.0 and excluding max.

prng.rand(1.5)       # => 1.4600282860034115

When range is a Range, rand returns a random number where range.member?(number) == true.

prng.rand(5..9)      # => one of [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
prng.rand(5...9)     # => one of [5, 6, 7, 8]
prng.rand(5.0..9.0)  # => between 5.0 and 9.0, including 9.0
prng.rand(5.0...9.0) # => between 5.0 and 9.0, excluding 9.0

Both the beginning and ending values of the range must respond to subtract (-) and add (+)methods, or rand will raise an ArgumentError.

Overloads:



1545
1546
1547
1548
1549
1550
1551
 
# File 'random.c', line 1545

static VALUE
random_rand(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE obj)
{
    VALUE v = rand_random(argc, argv, obj, try_get_rnd(obj));
    check_random_number(v, argv);
    return v;
}