Documentation/Calc Functions/RANDBETWEEN

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Calc Functions Home | List of functions | Abbreviations

Function name:

RANDBETWEEN

Category:

Mathematical

Summary:

Generates a random integer that lies in a specified range.

Syntax:

RANDBETWEEN(Bottom; Top)

Returns:

Returns a random integer lying in the inclusive range [Bottom, Top].

Arguments:

Bottom is an integer value, or a reference to a cell containing that integer, that is the lower bound of the required range.

Top is an integer value, or a reference to the cell containing that integer, that is the upper bound of the required range.

• If either Bottom or Top is non-numeric, then RANDBETWEEN reports a #VALUE! error.
• If Bottom is greater than Top, then RANDBETWEEN reports an invalid argument error (Err:502).
• If either Bottom or Top is a non-integer value, then RANDBETWEEN rounds it away from 0 to the next integer value (positive values rounded towards +∞, negative values rounded towards -∞).
• If Bottom and Top are equal (after any rounding), then RANDBETWEEN returns their common value.

Additional details:

• RANDBETWEEN is a volatile function that produces a new random number each time Calc recalculates. This means that Calc will update the value returned by RANDBETWEEN when any cell is updated by selecting Data ▸ Calculate ▸ Recalculate or pressing F9, or on any input event.
• Use the RANDBETWEEN.NV function for a non-volatile equivalent.
• To generate random numbers that never recalculate, either:
  • Copy cells containing =RANDBETWEEN(), and use Edit ▸ Paste Special (with All and Formulas deselected and Numbers selected).
  • Use Sheet ▸ Fill Cells ▸ Fill Random Number to fill a selected cell range with random numbers, generated in accordance with the flexible settings available through the Random Number Generator dialog.
• To generate numbers in the range [0, 1), use the RAND function or its non-volatile equivalent RAND.NV.

Examples:

Formula	Description	Returns
=RANDBETWEEN(20; 30)	Generate a random integer r in the range 20 ≤ r ≤ 30. The returned value will change whenever Calc recalculates.	22
=RANDBETWEEN(D1; D2) where cells D1 and D2 contain the numbers -10 and 10 respectively.	Generate a random integer r in the range -10 ≤ r ≤ 10. The returned value will change whenever Calc recalculates.	6
=RANDBETWEEN(−6.1; −6.1)	Always returns -7. Negative numbers are rounded away from 0.	−7
=RANDBETWEEN(9.2; 9.2)	Always returns 10. Positive numbers are also rounded away from 0.	10

Related LibreOffice functions:

RAND

RAND.NV

RANDBETWEEN.NV

ODF standard:

Section 6.16.51, part 2

Related (or similar) Excel functions:

RANDBETWEEN