Generating Pseudorandom Numbers on a Two's
Complement Machine such as the IBM 360

The familiar multiplicative congruential generator
is examined in the context of the type of 
two's complement arithmetic used in the IBM 360 series.
 Different sequences of residues are considered 
and relationships established among them.  It is shown
that a sequence of positive and negative residues 
may be produced more simply and economically than with
the conventional approach and yet have twice the 
period of the latter without loss of desirable statistical
properties.  Another easily generated sequence 
involving absolute values is also shown to have twice
the period but with less attractive statistical 
properties.  The statistical properties of these sequences
are given and related to previously established 
criteria.

CACM July, 1969

Hemmerle, W. J.

random number, uniform distribution, pseudo-random
number, random number generator, multiplicative 
congruential generator, power residue, two's
complement arithmetic, IBM 360 arithmetic

3.15 5.5 6.32

CA690706 JB February 17, 1978  9:17 AM

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