c++ random number within range

To generate a random number within a specific range in C++, you can use the <random> library. Here are the steps to do it:

  1. Include the <random> header file at the beginning of your program:
#include <random>
  1. Create an instance of the std::random_device class. This is used to generate a seed for the random number generator. The seed is typically based on some source of entropy from the operating system.
std::random_device rd;
  1. Create an instance of the std::mt19937 class. This is a random number engine that generates random numbers based on a specific algorithm. In this case, we are using the Mersenne Twister algorithm.
std::mt19937 gen(rd());
  1. Define the range of the random numbers you want to generate. For example, if you want to generate a random number between 1 and 10, you can use the std::uniform_int_distribution class:
std::uniform_int_distribution<int> dis(1, 10);
  1. Generate a random number within the specified range using the operator() of the distribution object and the random number engine:
int random_num = dis(gen);

Now, random_num will contain a random number between 1 and 10.

Here's the complete code:

#include <random>

int main() {
    std::random_device rd;
    std::mt19937 gen(rd());
    std::uniform_int_distribution<int> dis(1, 10);

    int random_num = dis(gen);

    // Use the random number here

    return 0;
}

Remember to include the <random> header file and use the std::random_device and std::mt19937 classes to generate a seed and create a random number engine respectively. Then, define the range using the std::uniform_int_distribution class and generate the random number using the operator() of the distribution object and the random number engine.