# Algorithm to generate repetitive sequence of fixed length

I am trying to create an algorithm to generate test cases. Each test case is an array of $$n$$ natural integers which are randomly generated using a pseudo-random function. The bound for $$n$$ is $$0 < n \le 256$$.

Each array is generated using a “repetitiveness/noise factor”, $$r$$. If $$r = n$$, the elements of the array will all be individually computed with the pseudo-random function (therefore, the function is called $$n$$ times). On the lower bound, $$r = 1$$, all the elements of the array are generated at once (function is called once). As an other example, if $$r = n-1$$, the first two elements will be calculated at once, while the remaining elements will be computed individually.

Spreading the repetition across the elements should be preferred over calculating a repetition once: $$[a, a, b, b, c]$$ is preferred over $$[a, a, a, b, c]$$, even if both cases only call the pseudo-random function 3 times. As such, if $$n$$ is an even number, and $$r = \frac n2$$, then the array should consist of $$r$$ groups of 2 elements computed together.

If my explanation is not clear, perhaps some example data could help:

Given $$n = 5$$, $$r = 5$$, resulting array is $$[a, b, c, d, e]$$

Given $$n = 5$$, $$r = 4$$, resulting array is $$[a, a, b, c, d]$$

Given $$n = 5$$, $$r = 3$$, resulting array is $$[a, a, b, b, c]$$

Given $$n = 5$$, $$r = 2$$, resulting array is $$[a, a, a, b, b]$$

Given $$n = 5$$, $$r = 1$$, resulting array is $$[a, a, a, a, a]$$