To use the RAND function in Excel, you can follow these steps:
1. Open an Excel worksheet and select the cell where you want the random number to appear.
2. In the formula bar at the top of the worksheet, enter “=RAND()”. This will generate a random number between 0 and 1.
3. Press Enter to calculate the random number.
By default, Excel recalculates all formulas whenever a change is made in the worksheet. So, every time you modify any cell, the RAND function will recalculate and generate a new random number. However, if you want to generate a random number that doesn’t change every time the cell is calculated, you can use a simple trick.
1. Enter “=RAND()” in the formula bar as before.
2. Instead of pressing Enter, press F9 on your keyboard. This will convert the formula to a static value, and the cell will display a single random number.
3. The value in the cell will remain constant until you manually recalculate it by pressing F9 again or modifying any other cell in the worksheet.
Using this technique, you can have a random number that remains fixed until you decide to update it. This can be useful in situations where you want to generate random data for analysis or simulations that shouldn’t change unintentionally.
It’s important to note that the RAND function generates random numbers based on the computer’s system clock. Therefore, if you need a truly random number for sensitive applications like cryptography, you should use a specialized random number generator or a reliable external source of randomness.
In summary, to use the RAND function in Excel and generate a random number that remains constant until manually recalculated, enter “=RAND()” in the formula bar and press F9 to convert the formula to a static value. This allows you to have control over when the random number changes, providing flexibility in various scenarios.