how do random numbers on computers work?

Question

For example, is there a formula for a random number?

In: 47

Answer 1

Two ways: a pseudo random number generator (which is predictable from a given seed point) or a number generated from a generally unknown but measurable value, e.g. CPU temperature at any given point in time. Both are not truly random in the general sense, but are random ‘enough’ for day to day applications.