middle_square

middle_square, an Octave code which implements the middle square algorithm for generating random integers. This is a very early method, attributed to von Neumann, which actually is deeply flawed, with short cycles.

Licensing:

The information on this web page is distributed under the MIT license.

Languages:

middle_square is available in a C version and a C++ version and a Fortran90 version and a MATLAB version and an Octave version and a Python version.

Related Data and Programs:

middle_square_test

collatz, an Octave code which computes and analyzes the Collatz or hailstone or 3n+1 sequence;

Reference:

1. Brian Hayes,
   The Middle of the Square,
   08 August 2022,
   http://bit-player.org/

Source Code:

• middle_square_cycle_length.m, starting from a given seed, reports the number of steps taken before a cycle is encountered, and the length of that cycle.
• middle_square_next.m, returns the next value of a middle square sequence.