Generate a random point within a circle (uniformly)

Question

I need to generate a uniformly random point within a circle of radius R.

I realize that by just picking a uniformly random angle in the interval [0 ... 2π),

Answer 1

A programmer solution:

• Create a bit map (a matrix of boolean values). It can be as large as you want.
• Draw a circle in that bit map.
• Create a lookup table of the circle's points.
• Choose a random index in this lookup table.

const int RADIUS = 64;
const int MATRIX_SIZE = RADIUS * 2;

bool matrix[MATRIX_SIZE][MATRIX_SIZE] = {0};

struct Point { int x; int y; };

Point lookupTable[MATRIX_SIZE * MATRIX_SIZE];

void init()
{
  int numberOfOnBits = 0;

  for (int x = 0 ; x < MATRIX_SIZE ; ++x)
  {
    for (int y = 0 ; y < MATRIX_SIZE ; ++y)
    {
      if (x * x + y * y < RADIUS * RADIUS) 
      {
        matrix[x][y] = true;

        loopUpTable[numberOfOnBits].x = x;
        loopUpTable[numberOfOnBits].y = y;

        ++numberOfOnBits;

      } // if
    } // for
  } // for
} // ()

Point choose()
{
  int randomIndex = randomInt(numberOfBits);

  return loopUpTable[randomIndex];
} // ()

The bitmap is only necessary for the explanation of the logic. This is the code without the bitmap:

const int RADIUS = 64;
const int MATRIX_SIZE = RADIUS * 2;

struct Point { int x; int y; };

Point lookupTable[MATRIX_SIZE * MATRIX_SIZE];

void init()
{
  int numberOfOnBits = 0;

  for (int x = 0 ; x < MATRIX_SIZE ; ++x)
  {
    for (int y = 0 ; y < MATRIX_SIZE ; ++y)
    {
      if (x * x + y * y < RADIUS * RADIUS) 
      {
        loopUpTable[numberOfOnBits].x = x;
        loopUpTable[numberOfOnBits].y = y;

        ++numberOfOnBits;
      } // if
    } // for
  } // for
} // ()

Point choose()
{
  int randomIndex = randomInt(numberOfBits);

  return loopUpTable[randomIndex];
} // ()