Exercise Solutions: Functions

Part 1: Rectangles

1. Write a function make_line(size) that returns a line with exactly size hashes.

   def make_line(size):
      line = ""
      for i in range(size):
         line += "#"
      return line
   
   print(make_line(5))
   

   Console Output

   #####
   

   Return to Exercises

2. Write a function called make_square(size) that returns a size by size string of hashes.

   def make_square(size):
      square = ""
      for i in range(size):
         square += (make_line(size) + "\n")
      return square
   
   print(make_square(5))
   

   Console Output

   #####
   #####
   #####
   #####
   #####
   

   Return to Exercises

3. Write a function make_rectangle(width, height) that returns a rectangle with the given width and height. Use your make_line function to do this.

   def make_rectangle(width, height):
      rectangle = ""
      for i in range(height):
         rectangle += (make_line(width) + "\n")
      return rectangle
   
   print(make_rectangle(5, 3))
   

   Console Output

   #####
   #####
   #####
   

   Return to Exercises

Part 2: Triangles

1. Write a function make_downward_stairs(height) that prints the staircase pattern shown below, with the given height.

   def make_downward_stairs(height):
      stairs = ""
      for i in range(height):
         stairs += (make_line(i+1) + "\n")
      return stairs
   
   print(make_downward_stairs(5))
   

   Console Output

   #
   ##
   ###
   ####
   #####
   

   Return to Exercises

2. Write a function make_space_line(numSpaces, numChars) that returns a line with exactly the specified number of spaces, followed by the specified number of hashes, followed again by num_spaces more spaces.

   def make_space_line(numSpaces, numChars):
      space_line = ""
      for i in range(numSpaces):
         space_line += " "
      for i in range(numChars):
         space_line += "#"
      for i in range(numSpaces):
         space_line += " "
      return space_line
   
   print(make_space_line(3, 5))
   

   Console Output

   ___#####___
   

   Return to Exercises

3. Write a function make_isosceles_triangle(height) that returns a triangle of the given height.

   def make_isosceles_triangle(height):
      triangle = ""
      for i in range(height):
         triangle += (make_space_line(height - i - 1, 2 * i + 1) + "\n")
      return triangle
   
   print(make_isosceles_triangle(5))
   

   Console Output

       #
      ###
     #####
    #######
   #########
   

   Return to Exercises

Part 3: Diamonds

1. Write a function make_diamond(height) that returns a diamond where the triangle formed by the top portion has the given height.

   def make_diamond(height):
      diamond = ""
      triangle = make_isosceles_triangle(height)
      diamond += triangle[:-1]
      for i in range(len(triangle)-1, -1, -1):
         diamond += triangle[i]
      return diamond
   
   print(make_diamond(5))
   

   Console Output

       #
      ###
     #####
    #######
   #########
   #########
    #######
     #####
      ###
       #
   

Return to Exercises

Optional Mission

Refactor your functions so that they take a single character as a parameter, and draw the shapes with that character instead of always using '#'.

def make_line(size, char):
   line = ""
   for i in range(size):
      line += char
   return line

print(make_line(8, '&'))

Console Output

&&&&&&&&

Return to Exercises

Make the new parameter optional, with default value '#'.

def make_line(size, char = "#"):
   line = ""
   for i in range(size):
      line += char
   return line

print(make_line(8))

Console Output

########

Return to Exercises