28 Numerics library [numerics]

28.5 Random number generation [rand]

28.5.3 Requirements [rand.req]

28.5.3.6 Random number distribution requirements [rand.req.dist]

A random number distribution (commonly shortened to distribution) d of type D is a function object returning values that are distributed according to an associated mathematical probability density function p(z) or according to an associated discrete probability function

P (z_{i})

A distribution's specification identifies its associated probability function p(z) or

P (z_{i})

An associated probability function is typically expressed using certain externally-supplied quantities known as the parameters of the distribution.

Such distribution parameters are identified in this context by writing, for example, p(z | a,b) or

P (z_{i} | a, b)

, to name specific parameters, or by writing, for example, p(z |{p}) or

P (z_{i} | {p})

, to denote a distribution's parameters p taken as a whole.

A class D meets the requirements of a random number distribution if the expressions shown in Table 97 are valid and have the indicated semantics, and if D and its associated types also meet all other requirements of this subclause [rand.req.dist].

In that Table and throughout this subclause,

(3.1)
T is the type named by D's associated result_type;
(3.2)
P is the type named by D's associated param_type;
(3.3)
d is a value of D, and x and y are (possibly const) values of D;
(3.4)
glb and lub are values of T respectively corresponding to the greatest lower bound and the least upper bound on the values potentially returned by d's operator(), as determined by the current values of d's parameters;
(3.5)
p is a (possibly const) value of P;
(3.6)
g, g1, and g2 are lvalues of a type meeting the requirements of a uniform random bit generator ([rand.req.urng]);
(3.7)
os is an lvalue of the type of some class template specialization basic_ostream<charT, traits>; and
(3.8)
is is an lvalue of the type of some class template specialization basic_istream<charT, traits>;

where charT and traits are constrained according to [strings] and [input.output].

Table 97: Random number distribution requirements [tab:rand.req.dist]

🔗	Expression	Return type	Pre/post-condition	Complexity
🔗	D::result_type	T	T is an arithmetic type ([basic.fundamental]).	compile-time
🔗	D::param_type	P		compile-time
🔗	D()		Creates a distribution whose behavior is indistinguishable from that of any other newly default-constructed distribution of type D.	constant
🔗	D(p)		Creates a distribution whose behavior is indistinguishable from that of a distribution newly constructed directly from the values used to construct p.	same as p's construction
🔗	d.reset()	void	Subsequent uses of d do not depend on values produced by any engine prior to invoking reset.	constant
🔗	x.param()	P	Returns a value p such that D(p).param() == p.	no worse than the complexity of D(p)
🔗	d.param(p)	void	Postconditions: d.param() == p.	no worse than the complexity of D(p)
🔗	d(g)	T	With $p = d.param()$ , the sequence of numbers returned by successive invocations with the same object g is randomly distributed according to the associated p(z \|{p}) or $P (z_{i} \| {p})$ function.	amortized constant number of invocations of g
🔗	d(g,p)	T	The sequence of numbers returned by successive invocations with the same objects g and p is randomly distributed according to the associated p(z \|{p}) or $P (z_{i} \| {p})$ function.	amortized constant number of invocations of g
🔗	x.min()	T	Returns glb.	constant
🔗	x.max()	T	Returns lub.	constant
🔗	x == y	bool	This operator is an equivalence relation. Returns true if x.param() == y.param() and $S_{1} = S_{2}$ , where $S_{1}$ and $S_{2}$ are the infinite sequences of values that would be generated, respectively, by repeated future calls to x(g1) and y(g2) whenever g1 == g2. Otherwise returns false.	constant
🔗	x != y	bool	!(x == y).	same as x == y.
🔗	os << x	reference to the type of os	Writes to os a textual representation for the parameters and the additional internal data of x. Postconditions: The os.fmtflags and fill character are unchanged.
🔗	is >> d	reference to the type of is	Restores from is the parameters and additional internal data of the lvalue d. If bad input is encountered, ensures that d is unchanged by the operation and calls is.setstate(ios_base::failbit) (which may throw ios_base::failure ([iostate.flags])). Preconditions: is provides a textual representation that was previously written using an os whose imbued locale and whose type's template specialization arguments charT and traits were the same as those of is. Postconditions: The is.fmtflags are unchanged.

D shall meet the Cpp17CopyConstructible (Table 32) and Cpp17CopyAssignable (Table 34) requirements.

The sequence of numbers produced by repeated invocations of d(g) shall be independent of any invocation of os << d or of any const member function of D between any of the invocations of d(g).

If a textual representation is written using os << x and that representation is restored into the same or a different object y of the same type using is >> y, repeated invocations of y(g) shall produce the same sequence of numbers as would repeated invocations of x(g).

It is unspecified whether D::param_type is declared as a (nested) class or via a typedef.

In this subclause [rand], declarations of D::param_type are in the form of typedefs for convenience of exposition only.

P shall meet the Cpp17CopyConstructible (Table 32), Cpp17CopyAssignable (Table 34), and Cpp17EqualityComparable (Table 28) requirements.

For each of the constructors of D taking arguments corresponding to parameters of the distribution, P shall have a corresponding constructor subject to the same requirements and taking arguments identical in number, type, and default values.

Moreover, for each of the member functions of D that return values corresponding to parameters of the distribution, P shall have a corresponding member function with the identical name, type, and semantics.

P shall have a declaration of the form using distribution_type = D;