COMP1022Q
Introduction to Computing with Excel VBA
Making Random Numbers
Gibson Lam and David Rossiter
Outcomes
• After completing this presentation, you are
expected to be able to:
1. Use VBA to generate random numbers in a
particular range
2. Use VBA to change the sequence of random
numbers so it is not always the same
COMP1022Q Making Random Numbers Page 2
Random Numbers in VBA
• Random numbers can be generated in VBA using
the Rnd function
• The Rnd function generates a real number smaller
than 1 and bigger than or equal to 0, i.e. [ 0 , 1 )
• For example, the following line of code puts a
random number in a variable MyNumber
These brackets are
MyNumber = Rnd()
optional for Rnd
- you can ignore them,
if you want to
COMP1022Q Making Random Numbers Page 3
An Example of
Making Random Numbers
• Let’s make some code which creates a simple
math addition game using random numbers
• In the code, two random integers in the range
1 to 100 are generated
• The user is then asked
what the sum of those
two numbers is,
like this:
COMP1022Q Making Random Numbers Page 4
Generating Random Integers 1/2
• To make the code, we need two random numbers
• To generate one random integer in the range of
1 to 100 you do these steps:
1. Generate a number between RandomNumber
0 to 0.99999 using the Rnd
is in [0, 1)
function
RandomNumber = Rnd()
2. Multiply the generated RandomNumber
number by 100 is in [0, 100)
RandomNumber = Rnd() * 100
Continued on the next slide…
Generating Continued from the
previous slide…
Random Integers 2/2
3. Dump the decimal place using RandomNumber
the Int function
is in [0, 99]
(it doesn’t do any rounding)
RandomNumber = Int(Rnd() * 100)
RandomNumber
4. Add 1 to the number is in [1, 100]
RandomNumber = Int(Rnd() * 100) + 1
COMP1022Q Making Random Numbers Page 6
Storing Things
• For the following game we will use variables that store text
• And we will also use variables that store integer numbers
• For example:
Dim MyFavouriteText As String 'stores text
Dim MyFavouriteNumber As Integer 'stores an integer
• Here’s some examples of using the variables:
MyFavouriteText = "you are a silly sausage"
MyFavouriteNumber = 8888
COMP1022Q Making Random Numbers Page 7
• Here are two examples of
Math Game 1/2 how to create two variables
in one line of VBA code
Dim Number1 As Integer, Number2 As Integer
Dim Answer As String, Guess As String
' Create the first number in the range 1 to 100
Number1 = Int(Rnd() * 100) + 1
' Create the second number in the range 1 to 100
Number2 = Int(Rnd() * 100) + 1
' Calculate the answer and store it as string
Answer = Number1 + Number2
Continued on the next slide…
Math Game 2/2
Continued from the previous slide…
' Execute the loop at least once
Do
' Ask the question
Guess = InputBox("What is " & Number1 _
& " + " & Number2 & "?")
' Check the answer at the end of the loop
Loop While Answer <> Guess Keep doing the loop
while this is true
MsgBox "Excellent, you have got the " _
& "correct answer!"
COMP1022Q Making Random Numbers Page 9
Randomness of the Rnd Function
• Unfortunately, you will find that every time you run your
code you will get the same series of random numbers!
– For example, 1st time you run it:
• The first time your program
asks a random math question:
• Later you run the program 2nd time you run it:
the second time it will ask
the same question again!
• That means any game which uses the random numbers
will be the same every time you play it!
• To change this, you need to use Randomize
Ensuring the Sequence
is Different Each Time
. . . The code for creating the variables is the same as before . . .
Randomize You need to use Randomize to ensure that the
series of random numbers is different each time
Because
. . . The remaining code is the same as before . . . Randomize has
' Create the first number, in the range 1 to 100 been used, the
... following
' Create the second number, in the range 1 to 100 sequence of
... random numbers
' Calculate the answer and store it will be different
. . . and so on . . . each time
