RANDOM-PICKING PROCEDURE

The cost probability curve may be a nice smooth one, or a collection of rectangles or other shapes. It can always be converted to a histogram. Add the count from every histogram channel, and mark the start point and end-point for each channel on the accumulating count. Use the pseudo-random number generator (available with most programming languages) to pick a value from the accumulating count. Chech through the various start-point/end-point which channel was selected, and use its value. Illustration: The cost histogram looks like: cost histogram Number from: to: count 1 $0 $20,000 8 2 $20,001 $35,000 22 3 $35,001 $57,000 11 4 $57,001 $83,000 4 The accumulating count: 8+22+11+4 = 45 Channel 1: start =1 end = 8 Channel 2: start =9 end =30 Channel 3: start =31 end =41 Channel 4: start =42 end =45 The PRNG picking a number from 1 to 45, will pick, say 28. This falls into channel 2, and the corresponding value is $20,000 to $35,000