Algorithm to convert any positive integer to an RGB value

Question

We have a heatmap we want to display. The numbers that will make up the values being displayed are unknown (except that they will be positive integers). The range of numbers

Answer 1

Going off of the picture provided by Chris H, you can model the rgb values as:

r = min(max(0, 1.5-abs(1-4*(val-0.5))),1);
g = min(max(0, 1.5-abs(1-4*(val-0.25))),1);
b = min(max(0, 1.5-abs(1-4*val)),1);