Re: Analysis Tool Pack: Random function help

From: Tom Ogilvy (twogilvy_at_msn.com)
Date: 02/16/05 

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 23:07:05 -0500

In Excel Help. It mimics the arguments when you call it through Tools>=Data
Analysis => random number generation:

About the Random Number Generation dialog box

Number of Variables

Enter the number of columns of values you want in the output table. If you
do not enter a number, Microsoft Excel fills all columns in the output range
you specify.

Number of Random Numbers

Enter the number of data points you want to see. Each data point appears in
a row of the output table. If you do not enter a number, Microsoft Excel
fills all rows in the output range you specify.

Distribution

Click the distribution method you want to use to create random values.

Uniform

Characterized by lower and upper bounds. Variables are drawn with equal
probability from all values in the range. A common application uses a
uniform distribution in the range 0...1.

Normal

Characterized by a mean and a standard deviation. A common application uses
a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1 for the standard normal
distribution.

Bernoulli

Characterized by a probability of success (p value) on a given trial.
Bernoulli random variables have the value 0 or 1. For example, you can draw
a uniform random variable in the range 0...1. If the variable is less than
or equal to the probability of success, the Bernoulli random variable is
assigned the value 1; otherwise, it is assigned the value 0.

Binomial

Characterized by a probability of success (p value) for a number of trials.
For example, you can generate number-of-trials Bernoulli random variables,
the sum of which is a binomial random variable.

Poisson

Characterized by a value lambda, equal to 1/mean. Poisson distribution is
often used to characterize the number of events that occur per unit of time
¾ for example, the average rate at which cars arrive at a toll plaza.

Patterned

Characterized by a lower and upper bound, a step, repetition rate for
values, and repetition rate for the sequence.

Discrete

Characterized by a value and the associated probability range. The range
must contain two columns: The left column contains values, and the right
column contains probabilities associated with the value in that row. The sum
of the probabilities must be 1.

Parameters

Enter a value or values to characterize the distribution selected.

Random Seed

Enter an optional value from which to generate random numbers. You can reuse
this value later to produce the same random numbers.

Output Range

Enter the reference for the upper-left cell of the output table. Microsoft
Excel automatically determines the size of the output area and displays a
message if the output table will replace existing data.

New Worksheet Ply

Click to insert a new worksheet in the current workbook and paste the
results starting at cell A1 of the new worksheet. To name the new worksheet,
type a name in the box.

New Workbook

Click to create a new workbook and paste the results on a new worksheet in
the new workbook.

----------------------
Create a reference to ATPVBAEN.XLA in the tools=>References in the VBE and
then you can see it in the Object browser. It list the arguments there. 

-- 
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy
"Scott P" <ScottP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C507C191-8929-4C44-A768-A5886F8DC316@microsoft.com...
> I am trying to use the "Random" function through the Analysis Tool Pack
using
> this reference: ATPVBAEN.XLA!Random.  Where can I find a description of
the
> parameters for this function?  Such a description does not appear to be
> available in the help file.

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