I need to combine numbers in random couples?

Question

Hi people; I'm on a benefic lottery and I need to combine couples of random numbers from 000 to 999, to then print them on 500 tickets. Is there any program that can make that?? Maybe a Pascal Algorithm could solve it but... I don't know how to do it... any ideas?

Answer 1

Like most of the computer generation you see the computer as your only savior. It's not necessarily true.

I doubt that there is a canned system that will do what you want. Here's your solution, without using a computer.

1. Buy 1000 3x5 cards. Smaller cards, such as blank business cards, are OK, too.

2. Write the numbers 000 to 999, one number per card.

3. Get a fairly large box. Put the cards in and thoroughly mix them.

4. Draw pairs of cards and tape them back to back.

5. Now you have 500 pairs of numbers, fairly randomly selected.

The whole process will take about 2 hours to accomplish. It's certainly faster and cheaper than buying, installing and learning to use a new software package; or writing and testing a specially built program.