std::exponential_distribution

Defined in header <random>
template< class RealType = double > class exponential_distribution;		(since C++11)

Produces random non-negative floating-point values x, distributed according to probability density function:

P(x|λ) = λe-λx

The value obtained is the time/distance until the next random event if random events occur at constant rate λ per unit of time/distance. For example, this distribution describes the time between the clicks of a Geiger counter or the distance between point mutations in a DNA strand.

This is the continuous counterpart of std::geometric_distribution

Member types

Template:tdcl list hitemTemplate:tdcl list itemTemplate:tdcl list itemTemplate:tdcl list end

Member functions

Template:cpp/numeric/random/distribution/dcl list constructorTemplate:cpp/numeric/random/distribution/dcl list resetTemplate:cpp/numeric/random/distribution/dcl list operator()Template:cpp/numeric/random/exponential distribution/dcl list lambdaTemplate:cpp/numeric/random/distribution/dcl list paramTemplate:cpp/numeric/random/distribution/dcl list minTemplate:cpp/numeric/random/distribution/dcl list max

Generation

Characteristics

Non-member functions

Template:cpp/numeric/random/distribution/dcl list operator cmpTemplate:cpp/numeric/random/distribution/dcl list operator ltltgtgt

Example

Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <string>
#include <map>
#include <random>
int main()
{
    std::random_device rd;
    std::mt19937 gen(rd());
 
    // if particles decay once per second on average,
    // how much time, in seconds, until the next one?
    std::exponential_distribution<> d(1);
 
    std::map<int, int> hist;
    for(int n=0; n<10000; ++n) {
        ++hist[2*d(gen)];
    }
    for(auto p : hist) {
        std::cout << std::fixed << std::setprecision(1) 
                  << p.first/2.0 << '-' << (p.first+1)/2.0 <<
                ' ' << std::string(p.second/200, '*') << '\n';
    }

Output:

0.0-0.5 *******************
0.5-1.0 ***********
1.0-1.5 *******
1.5-2.0 ****
2.0-2.5 **
2.5-3.0 *
3.0-3.5 
3.5-4.0

External links

Weisstein, Eric W. "Exponential Distribution." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource.