How to Generate Random Numbers in a Specific Range in MySQL?

Randomizing Data in a Column with a Specified Range

Consider a scenario where you need to populate a column in a database table with randomly generated numbers within a specific range. For instance, you may want to assign random numbers between 1 and 3 for each record.

Solution:

To achieve this, you can utilize the following MySQL query:

UPDATE tableName SET columnName = FLOOR( 1 + RAND() * 3);

Explanation:

The RAND() function generates a random floating-point value between 0 and 1.0. By multiplying this value by 3 and adding 1, we obtain a random number in the range 1 to 4. The FLOOR function is used to round the result down to the nearest integer, ensuring that we always get an integer in the range 1 to 3.

Example:

For a table named 'MyTable' with a column 'RandomNumber' that needs to be populated with random numbers between 1 and 3, the following query can be used:

UPDATE MyTable SET RandomNumber = FLOOR( 1 + RAND() * 3);

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