Back to Freecodecamp

Look-and-say sequence

curriculum/challenges/english/blocks/rosetta-code-challenges/5e6dd14797f5ce267c2f19d0.md

latest1.9 KB
Original Source

--description--

The Look and say sequence is a recursively defined sequence of numbers.

Sequence Definition

<ul><li>Take a decimal number</li> <li><span>Look</span> at the number, visually grouping consecutive runs of the same digit.</li> <li><span>Say</span> the number, from left to right, group by group; as how many of that digit there are - followed by the digit grouped.</li></ul><span> This becomes the next number of the sequence.</span>

An example:

<ul><li>Starting with the number 1, you have <span>one</span> 1 which produces 11</li> <li>Starting with 11, you have <span>two</span> 1's. I.E.: 21</li> <li>Starting with 21, you have <span>one</span> 2, then <span>one</span> 1. I.E.: (12)(11) which becomes 1211</li> <li>Starting with 1211, you have <span>one</span> 1, <span>one</span> 2, then <span>two</span> 1's. I.E.: (11)(12)(21) which becomes 111221</li></ul>

--instructions--

Write a function that accepts a string as a parameter, processes it, and returns the resultant string.

--hints--

lookAndSay should be a function.

js
assert(typeof lookAndSay == 'function');

lookAndSay("1") should return a string.

js
assert(typeof lookAndSay('1') == 'string');

lookAndSay("1") should return "11".

js
assert.equal(lookAndSay('1'), '11');

lookAndSay("11") should return "21".

js
assert.equal(lookAndSay('11'), '21');

lookAndSay("21") should return "1211".

js
assert.equal(lookAndSay('21'), '1211');

lookAndSay("1211") should return "111221".

js
assert.equal(lookAndSay('1211'), '111221');

lookAndSay("3542") should return "13151412".

js
assert.equal(lookAndSay('3542'), '13151412');

--seed--

--seed-contents--

js
function lookAndSay(str) {

}

--solutions--

js
function lookAndSay(str) {
    return str.replace(/(.)\1*/g, function(seq, p1) {
      return seq.length.toString() + p1;
    });
}