[R] generate random numbers subject to constraints

[Charles C. Berry]

On Thu, 27 Mar 2008, Robert A LaBudde wrote:

> At 05:06 PM 3/26/2008, Ted Harding wrote:
>> On 26-Mar-08 21:26:59, Ala' Jaouni wrote:
>>> X1,X2,X3,X4 should have independent distributions. They should be
>>> between 0 and 1 and all add up to 1. Is this still possible with
>>> Robert's method?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>
>> I don't think so. A whileago you wrote
>> "The numbers should be uniformly distributed" (but in the
>> context of an example where you had 5 variable; now you
>> are back to 4 variables). Let's take the 4-case first.
>>
>> The two linear constraints confine the point (X1,X2,X3,X4)
>> to a triangular region within the 4-dimensional unit cube.
>> Say it has vertices A, B, C.
>> You could then start by generating points uniformly distributed
>> over a specific triangle in 2 dimentions, say the one with
>> vertices at A0=(0,0), B0=(0,1), C0=(1,0). This is easy.
>>
>> Then you need to find a linear transformation which will
>> map this triangle (A0,B0,C0) onto the triangle (A,B,C).
>> Then the points you have sampled in (A0,B0,C0) will map
>> into points which are uniformly distributed over the
>> triangle (A,B,C).
>>
>> More generally, you will be seeking to generate points
>> uniformly distributed over a simplex.
>>
>> For example, the case (your earlier post) of 5 points
>> with 2 linear constraints requires a tetrahedron with
>> vertices (A,B,C,D) in 5 dimensions whose coordinates you
>> will have to find. Then take an "easy" tetrahedron with
>> vertices (A0,B0,C0,D0) and sample uniformly within this.
>> Then find a linear mapping from (A0,B0,C0,D0) to (A,B,C,D)
>> and apply this to the sampled points.
>>
>> This raises a general question: Does anyone know of
>> an R function to sample uniformly in the interior
>> of a general (k-r)-dimensional simplex embedded in
>> k dimensions, with (k+1) given vertices?
>> <snip>
>
> The method of "rejection":
>
> 1. Generate numbers randomly in the hypercube.
> 2. Test to see if the point falls within the prescribed area.
> 3. Accept the point if it does.
> 4. Repeat if it doesn't.
>
> Efficiency depends upon the ratio of volumes involved.

The ratio is zero.

The subspace of the solution has lower dimension than the space you are 
sampling from.

So you will repeat '4' forever. (Up to machine accuracy, of course.)

And as I pointed out in my response to Ala' Jaouni, the 'solution' may lie 
in the null space. When it does not it will be a point, a line segment, a 
piece of a plane, or a 3 dimensional simplex.

Chuck



>
>
> ================================================================
> Robert A. LaBudde, PhD, PAS, Dpl. ACAFS  e-mail: ral at lcfltd.com
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Charles C. Berry                            (858) 534-2098
                                             Dept of Family/Preventive Medicine
E mailto:cberry at tajo.ucsd.edu	            UC San Diego
http://famprevmed.ucsd.edu/faculty/cberry/  La Jolla, San Diego 92093-0901