Linear congruential generator

Summary

A linear congruential generator is a pseudorandom number generator whose state is an integer modulo $m$, updated by an affine map $x \mapsto (ax + c) \bmod m$. It is one of the oldest and simplest generators, and its period and lattice structure can be analysed completely with elementary number theory. Its weaknesses, such as short periods of the low-order bits and points lying on few hyperplanes, made it a classic lesson in generator design.