Document Type
Article
Department
Physics
Publication Date
4-1999
Abstract
When purportedly random processes give rise to surprisingly nonrandom outcomes, how can one tell whether the process are truly random? One way exploits the relatively little-known method of runs. We discuss the perplexing probability problem that brought this procedure to our attention, and our experimental tests of random processes produced by (a) numerical algorithm, (b) coin selection, and (c) nuclear decay.
DOI
10.1119/1.880232
Comments
Originally published in Physics Teacher, Vol 37, April 1999, 218-225.