What is a Random Number and Why Should I Care - Understanding Pseudorandom Number Generators

Explore the intricacies of random number generation in this comprehensive conference talk from Meeting C++ 2023. Delve into the paradoxical nature of generating random numbers using deterministic functions and learn how to effectively utilize various random number distributions. Discover the mechanics behind random number generation, including techniques for simulating fair dice rolls and avoiding common pitfalls in shuffling, sampling, and seeding random number generators. Gain insights into stochastic outcomes from deterministic models, also known as chaos, and understand how iterative function application can lead to non-deterministic results. Familiarize yourself with key concepts such as pseudorandom number generators (PRNGs), linear congruential generators, and random number distributions. Conclude with a visual demonstration of racing blobs out of a paper bag using different distributions, reinforcing the practical applications of the concepts covered.