Colt 1.2.0

## cern.jet.random
Class EmpiricalWalker

    java.lang.Object
      cern.colt.PersistentObject
          cern.jet.random.AbstractDistribution
              cern.jet.random.AbstractDiscreteDistribution
                  cern.jet.random.EmpiricalWalker

All Implemented Interfaces:
  Cloneable, DoubleFunction, IntFunction, Serializable

public class EmpiricalWalker
extends AbstractDiscreteDistribution

Discrete Empirical distribution (pdf's can be specified).

The probability distribution function (pdf) must be provided by the user as an array of positive real numbers. The pdf does not need to be provided in the form of relative probabilities, absolute probabilities are also accepted.

Instance methods operate on a user supplied uniform random number generator; they are unsynchronized.

Static methods operate on a default uniform random number generator; they are synchronized.

Implementation: Walker's algorithm. Generating a random number takes `O(1)`, i.e. constant time, as opposed to commonly used algorithms with logarithmic time complexity. Preprocessing time (on object construction) is `O(k)` where `k` is the number of elements of the provided empirical pdf. Space complexity is `O(k)`.

This is a port of discrete.c which was written by James Theiler and is distributed with GSL 0.4.1. Theiler's implementation in turn is based upon

Alastair J. Walker, An efficient method for generating discrete random variables with general distributions, ACM Trans Math Soft 3, 253-256 (1977).

See also: D. E. Knuth, The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 2 (Seminumerical algorithms), 3rd edition, Addison-Wesley (1997), p120.

Version:
  1.0, 09/24/99
See Also:
  Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class cern.colt.PersistentObject
`serialVersionUID`

Constructor Summary
`EmpiricalWalker(double[] pdf, int interpolationType, RandomEngine randomGenerator)` Constructs an Empirical distribution.

Method Summary
`double` | `cdf(int k)` Returns the cumulative distribution function.
`Object` | `clone()` Returns a deep copy of the receiver; the copy will produce identical sequences.
`int` | `nextInt()` Returns a random integer `k` with probability `pdf(k)`.
`double` | `pdf(int k)` Returns the probability distribution function.
`void` | `setState(double[] pdf, int interpolationType)` Sets the distribution parameters.
`void` | `setState2(double[] pdf)` Sets the distribution parameters.
`String` | `toString()` Returns a String representation of the receiver.

Methods inherited from class cern.jet.random.AbstractDiscreteDistribution
`nextDouble`

Methods inherited from class cern.jet.random.AbstractDistribution
`apply, apply, makeDefaultGenerator`

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
`equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

Constructor Detail

### EmpiricalWalker

    public EmpiricalWalker(double[] pdf,
                           int interpolationType,
                           RandomEngine randomGenerator)

  Constructs an Empirical distribution. The probability distribution function (pdf) is an array of positive real numbers. It need not be provided in the form of relative probabilities, absolute probabilities are also accepted. The `pdf` must satisfy both of the following conditions
  - `0.0 <= pdf[i] : 0<=i<=pdf.length-1`
  - `0.0 < Sum(pdf[i]) : 0<=i<=pdf.length-1`

Parameters:
  `pdf` - the probability distribution function.
  `interpolationType` - can be either `Empirical.NO_INTERPOLATION` or `Empirical.LINEAR_INTERPOLATION`.
  `randomGenerator` - a uniform random number generator.
Throws:
  `IllegalArgumentException` - if at least one of the three conditions above is violated.

Method Detail

### cdf

    public double cdf(int k)

  Returns the cumulative distribution function.

### clone

    public Object clone()

  Returns a deep copy of the receiver; the copy will produce identical sequences. After this call has returned, the copy and the receiver have equal but separate state.

  Overrides:
    `clone` in class `AbstractDistribution`
  Returns:
    a copy of the receiver.

### nextInt

    public int nextInt()

  Returns a random integer `k` with probability `pdf(k)`.

  Specified by:
    `nextInt` in class `AbstractDiscreteDistribution`

### pdf

    public double pdf(int k)

  Returns the probability distribution function.

### setState

    public void setState(double[] pdf,
                         int interpolationType)

  Sets the distribution parameters. The `pdf` must satisfy all of the following conditions
  - `pdf != null && pdf.length > 0`
  - `0.0 <= pdf[i] : 0 < =i <= pdf.length-1`
  - `0.0 < Sum(pdf[i]) : 0 <=i <= pdf.length-1`

  Parameters:
    `pdf` - probability distribution function.
  Throws:
    `IllegalArgumentException` - if at least one of the three conditions above is violated.

### setState2

    public void setState2(double[] pdf)

  Sets the distribution parameters. The `pdf` must satisfy both of the following conditions
  - `0.0 <= pdf[i] : 0 < =i <= pdf.length-1`
  - `0.0 < Sum(pdf[i]) : 0 <=i <= pdf.length-1`

  Parameters:
    `pdf` - probability distribution function.
  Throws:
    `IllegalArgumentException` - if at least one of the three conditions above is violated.

### toString

    public String toString()

  Returns a String representation of the receiver.

Colt 1.2.0

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