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Normal vs Random - What's the difference?

normal | random |

As adjectives the difference between normal and random

is that normal is according to norms or rules while random is having unpredictable outcomes and, in the ideal case, all outcomes equally probable; resulting from such selection; lacking statistical correlation.

As nouns the difference between normal and random

is that normal is a line or vector that is perpendicular to another line, surface, or plane while random is a roving motion; course without definite direction; lack of rule or method; chance.

normal

English

(wikipedia normal)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • According to norms or rules.
  • Healthy; not sick or ill.
  • Pertaining to a school to teach teachers how to teach.
  • (chemistry) Of, relating to, or being a solution containing one equivalent weight of solute per litre of solution.
  • (organic chemistry) Describing a straight chain isomer of an aliphatic hydrocarbon, or an aliphatic compound in which a substituent is in the 1- position of such a hydrocarbon.
  • (physics) (Of a mode in an oscillating system ) In which all parts of an object vibrate at the same frequency; See .
  • (geometry) Perpendicular to a tangent line or derivative of a surface in Euclidean space.
  • * The interior normal vector of a ideal perfect sphere will always point toward the center, and the exterior normal vector directly away, and both will always be co-linear with the ray whose' tip ends at the point of intersection, which is the intersection of all three sets of points.
  • (algebra) (Of a subgroup) whose cosets form a group.
  • (algebra) (Of a field extension of a field K) which is the splitting field of a family of polynomials in K.
  • (probability theory, statistics) (Of a distribution) which has a very specific bell curve shape.
  • (complex analysis) (Of a family of continuous functions) which is pre-compact.
  • (set theory) (Of a function from the ordinals to the ordinals) which is strictly monotonically increasing and continuous with respect to the order topology.
  • (linear algebra) (Of a matrix) which commutes with its conjugate transpose.
  • (functional analysis) (Of a Hilbert space operator) which commutes with its adjoint.
  • (category theory) (Of an epimorphism) which is the cokernel of some morphism.
  • (category theory) (Of a monomorphism) which is the kernel of some morphism.
  • (category theory) (Of a morphism) which is a normal epimorphism or a normal monomorphism.
  • (category theory) (Of a category) in which every monomorphism is normal.
  • (Of a real number) whose digits, in any base representation, enjoy a uniform distribution.
  • (topology) (Of a topology) in which disjoint closed sets can be separated by disjoint neighborhoods.
  • (rail transport, Of points) in the default position, set for the most frequently used route.

    • Synonyms

    * (usual) conventional, ordinary, standard, usual, regular, average, expected, natural * (healthy) hale, healthy, well * (perpendicular) at right angles to, perpendicular, orthogonal * (statistics) Gaussian

    Antonyms

    * (usual) unconventional, nonstandard, unusual * (healthy) ill, poorly (British), sick, unwell * (perpendicular) tangential * (rail transport) reverse

    Derived terms

    * abnormal * conormal * normalcy * normalise, normalize * normality * normally * normal school * normal vector * orthonormal * paranormal * subnormal * supernormal * ultranormal

    Related terms

    * norm

    Usage notes

    * Warning: normal , when used to describe a majority group of people, can be considered offensive to those who don't consider membership of their own minority to be unusual. Care should be taken when juxtaposing normal, particularly with stereotypical labels, to avoid undue insult.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (geometry) A line or vector that is perpendicular to another line, surface, or plane.
  • (slang) A person who is normal, who fits into mainstream society, as opposed to those who live alternative lifestyles.

    • Synonyms

    * (normal person) see

    random

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A roving motion; course without definite direction; lack of rule or method; chance.
  • * (1591-1674)
  • *:Counsels, when they fly / At random , sometimes hit most happily.
  • *Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • *:O, many a shaft, at random sent, / Finds mark the archer little meant!
  • (label) Speed, full speed; impetuosity, force.
  • *:
  • *:they were messagers vnto kyng Ban & Bors sent from kynge Arthur / therfor said the viij knyghtes ye shalle dye or be prysoners / for we ben knyghtes of kyng Claudas And therwith two of them dressid theire sperys / and Vlfyus and Brastias dressid theire speres and ranne to gyder with grete raundon
  • *(Edward Hall) (1497-1547)
  • *:For courageously the two kings newly fought with great random and force.
  • *1624 , John Smith, Generall Historie , in Kupperman 1988, page 144:
  • *:Fortie yards will they shoot levell, or very neare the marke, and 120 is their best at Random .
  • :
  • :
  • (label) The direction of a rake-vein.
  • :(Raymond)

    • Synonyms

    * force, momentum, speed, velocity * (unimportant person) nobody, nonentity

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having unpredictable outcomes and, in the ideal case, all outcomes equally probable; resulting from such selection; lacking statistical correlation.
    • The flip of a fair coin is purely random .
    The newspaper conducted a random sample of five hundred American teenagers.
    The results of the field survey look random by several different measures.
  • * July 18 2012 , Scott Tobias, AV Club The Dark Knight Rises [http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-dark-knight-rises-review-batman,82624/]
    • Where the Joker preys on our fears of random , irrational acts of terror, Bane has an all-consuming, dictatorial agenda that’s more stable and permanent, a New World Order that’s been planned out with the precision of a military coup.
  • (mathematics) Of or relating to probability distribution.
    • A toss of loaded dice is still random , though biased.
  • (computing) Pseudorandom; mimicking the result of random selection.
    • The rand function generates a random number from a seed.
  • (somewhat colloquial) Representative and undistinguished; typical and average; selected for no particular reason.
    • A random American off the street couldn't tell the difference.
  • (somewhat colloquial) Apropos of nothing; lacking context; unexpected; having apparent lack of plan, cause or reason.
    • That was a completely random comment.
    The teacher's bartending story was interesting, but random .
    The narrative takes a random course.
  • (colloquial) Characterized by or often saying random things; habitually using non sequiturs.
    • You're so random !

    Synonyms

    * (having unpredictable outcomes) * (of or relating to probability distribution) stochastic * (pseudorandom) pseudorandom * (representative and undistinguished) average, typical * (lacking context) arbitrary, unexpected, unplanned

    Derived terms

    * at random * non-random * pseudorandom * randomer * randomise, randomize * randomness * random number * randomly * randomology * randomosity

    See also

    * (Randomness)

    Anagrams

    *