Rnd Function
This page is specific to the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Language Reference for Office 2010.
Returns a Single containing a random number.
Syntax
Rnd[(number)]
The optional number argument is a Single or any valid numeric expression.
Return Values
If number is |
Rnd generates |
|---|---|
Less than zero |
The same number every time, using number as the seed. |
Greater than zero |
The next random number in the sequence. |
Equal to zero |
The most recently generated number. |
Not supplied |
The next random number in the sequence. |
Remarks
The Rnd function returns a value less than 1 but greater than or equal to zero.
The value of number determines how Rnd generates a random number:
For any given initial seed, the same number sequence is generated because each successive call to the Rnd function uses the previous number as a seed for the next number in the sequence.
Before calling Rnd, use the Randomize statement without an argument to initialize the random-number generator with a seed based on the system timer.
To produce random integers in a given range, use this formula:
Int((upperbound - lowerbound + 1) * Rnd + lowerbound)
Here, upperbound is the highest number in the range, and lowerbound is the lowest number in the range.
Note
To repeat sequences of random numbers, call Rnd with a negative argument immediately before using Randomize with a numeric argument. Using Randomize with the same value for number does not repeat the previous sequence.
Example
This example uses the Rnd function to generate a random integer value from 1 to 6.
Dim MyValue
MyValue = Int((6 * Rnd) + 1) ' Generate random value between 1 and 6.