Random Number Generator

Abstract

This chapter explains how to use Excel to take a random sample of people (or objects, plants, or animals) from a sampling frame that contains the list of people (objects, plants, or animals) from which you want to take a random sample. You will learn how to use Excel to create frame numbers for generating random numbers, why a set of duplicate frame numbers is important, and the Excel commands needed to sort the frame numbers into a random sequence. In addition, you will learn how to print out your result so that all of the information fits entirely onto a single page of paper. Three practice problems are given at the end of the chapter to test your Excel skills, and the answers to these problems appear in Appendix A of this book. An additional practice problem is presented in the Practice Test given in Appendix B along with its answer in Appendix C of this book.