An instance of this class is used to generate a stream of pseudorandom numbers. The class uses a 48-bit seed, which is modified using a linear congruential formula. (See Donald Knuth,
The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 3, Section 3.2.1.)
If two instances of {@code Random} are created with the sameseed, and the same sequence of method calls is made for each, they will generate and return identical sequences of numbers. In order to guarantee this property, particular algorithms are specified for the class {@code Random}. Java implementations must use all the algorithms shown here for the class {@code Random}, for the sake of absolute portability of Java code. However, subclasses of class {@code Random}are permitted to use other algorithms, so long as they adhere to the general contracts for all the methods.
The algorithms implemented by class {@code Random} use a{@code protected} utility method that on each invocation can supplyup to 32 pseudorandomly generated bits.
Many applications will find the method {@link Math#random} simpler to use.
@author Frank Yellin
@version 1.47, 02/07/06
@since 1.0