Middle-square method
![One iteration of the middle-square method, showing a six digit seed, which is then squared, and the resulting value has its middle six digits as the output value (and also as the next seed for the sequence).](/Images/godic/202501/27/Middle-square_method.svg1049.png")
![Directed graph of all 100 2-digit pseudorandom numbers obtained using the middle-square method with n = 2.](/Images/godic/202501/27/Middle_square_method_2_digits.svg1049.png")
In mathematics, the middle-square method is a method of generating pseudorandom numbers. In practice it is not a good method, since its period is usually very short and it has some severe weaknesses, such as the output sequence almost always converging to zero.