On Friday 16 May 2008 02:46:53 pm paul at clubi.ie wrote:
> What's the basis behind believing certain finite-period mathematical
> functions produce random output?
1) I wasn't talking about periodic functions:
f(n) mod m is not necessarily, or even usually, periodic.
2) No mathematical function produces random output.
It may produce pseudo-random output, which is perfectly adequate
for any computing requirement.
> I'm now confused as to what the argument here is exactly.
People are trying to sell you - or maybe you are trying to sell me -
black box random number generators
which work on some quantum principle no-one can explain
but which must work because it is vouchsafed for by Tom Cruise.
--
Timothy Murphy
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tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
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