Random Number Generator for Left Skewed Distribution

I don't know the properties of the random numbers generated by the RAND() function, other than they are floating point and between 0 and 1. If we assume they are pseudo-random and the function which generates them is up to par, the mean should be 0.5 and the distribution should be flat. I assume by "skewed to the left" you want to have a less than flat distribution but you didn't specify the distribution or the range you want. I think what you need to do is come up with an equation that has the range, distribution and mean you want when the input is a random number between 0 and 1 and drive that equation with the RAND() function. I'll look into it some more to give you some ideas.

K,

Here's an example of what you could do with Numbers. There are many choices to be made in such an endeavor, so I'm not likely to have hit on exactly what you want to do, but hopefully you can take some cues from this.



Best regards.

Jerry

To create a random number generator with a normal distribution, you can add a bunch of RAND()s together. The more you add the closer this generator will approximate a normal distribution. But the more you add, the more overhead you create.

Y = 1/10*(RAND() RAND()+RAND()+RAND()+RAND()+RAND()+RAND()+RAND()+RAND()RAND())-0.52

That should give a roughly normal distribution with a mean of -0.02 and will be limited to between -.52 to 0.48. Again, the more RAND()s you add the closer it becomes to normal.

To get RAND() to create a new random number, you have to change a cell in the table. A checkbox would be an easy way to do this.