C++ Isosceles Triangle Question

[Vasto]

For my C++ class, I need to make an isoscles triange, and I can't seem to get it to line up right, or I get them to enter an infinite loop. Any help would be appreciated, I've been trying to figure it out for hours (not an exageration)

/*
* Filename: isosceles.cpp
* Created by: XXXXXXXX
* Description: Prints an isosceles triangle with a base of n and a height of n
* If n=5, then the output should look like:
*	 X
*	XXX
*   XXXXX
*/

#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
 int n=1;

  //Ask user input for "n"
  cout << "Enter the triangle's base:";
  cin >> n;

  // For Statement pertaining to the rows of the triangle
 for (int row = 1; row <= n; row++)
   {
		//Print blank spaces to the left of the x tomake the triangle look like a pyramid
			for (int space = (n+2)/2; space >= row; space--)
			{
					cout << "c";
			}
	 // For Statement pertaining to the columns of the triangle.
			for ( int col = 1; col <= row; col++)
			{

					cout << "x";
			}
	 cout << endl; //print newline to finish row.
   }
}
/*
//This part is for later when I need to determine if it is even or odd. I put it on the bottom just as a reminder.
int m = n%2
if ( m==0)
	{
	cout << "m is even"
	}
else
	{
	cout << "m is odd"
	}
*/

[Verran]

Are even inputs allowed? It's not really stated in your post, but I would assume they're not. I'm not sure how you'd get the centering right otherwise.

[markiemrboo]

May not be the best way to solve the problem, but I came up with two solutions.

 

/*
* Filename: isosceles.cpp
* Created by: XXXXXXXX
* Description: Prints an isosceles triangle with a base of n and a height of n
* If n=5, then the output should look like:
*	 X
*	XXX
*   XXXXX
*/

#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
 int n=1;
int spaces = 0;
int stars = 0;
int row = 0;

  //Ask user input for "n"
  cout << "Enter the triangle's base:";
  cin >> n;

/*
* Bitwise test to see if a number is even or odd. 
* If bit 0 (decimal 1) is set, then the number must be odd.
*				128 ....  8 4 2 1
* e.g 3 in binary 0 0 0 0  0 0 1 1
*	 4 in binary 0 0 0 0  0 1 0 0
*/
if (n & 1)
{
cout << "Odd" << endl;
} else {
cout << "Even" << endl;
}

// triple for loop
// row = 3,4,5
for (row = ceil((float)n / 2); row <= n; row++)
{
	// spaces = 5 - 3,4,5
	spaces = n - row;
	// stars = 3,4,5 - spaces
	stars = row - spaces;

	//Print blank spaces to the left of the x tomake the triangle look like a pyramid
	for (int space = 0; space < spaces; space++)
	{
		cout << " ";
	}   

	// For Statement pertaining to the columns of the triangle.
	for ( int col = 0; col < stars; col++)
	{
		cout << "x";
	}

	cout << endl; //print newline to finish row.
}


// double for loop version
// interestingly, the row number corresponds to the total amount of characters on that line (spaces + x's)
// we can use this to our advantage.
for (row = ceil((float)n / 2); row <= n; row++)
{
	// spaces = n - row
	// e.g for n = 5 (_ = space)
	// row = 3	_ _*		  (spaces = 5 - 3 = 2)
	// row = 4	_ ***		 (spaces = 5 - 4 = 1)
	// row = 5	 *****		(spaces = 5 - 5 = 0)
	spaces = n - row;

	// for each character on the line
	for ( int col = 0; col < row; col++)
	{
		// if current col is smaller than spaces, print a space
		// when col goes over spaces, start printing x's till the end of the loop
		(col < spaces) ? cout << " " : cout << "x";
	}

	cout << endl; //print newline to finish row.
}


system("pause");
}
/*
//This part is for later when I need to determine if it is even or odd. I put it on the bottom just as a reminder.
int m = n%2
if ( m==0)
	{
	cout << "m is even"
	}
else
	{
	cout << "m is odd"
	}
*/

 

Comments are poor. It's late / early here (2AM). You may find it useful to run through each of them on paper or something. You can also check odd / even with a simple bitwise test.

[SnooSnooKachu]

Here's what I came up with for the for loop section:

 

for(int row = 0; row <= n/2, row++)

{

int xNum = row * 2 - 1;

for(int space = (n+2)/2; space > row; space--)

{

cout<<" ";

}

for(int col = 0; col <= xNums + 1; col++)

{

cout<<"X";

}

cout<<endl;

}

 

Pardon for no comments, and if this doesn't even work right. I wrote it in Python and translated it the best I could. But rock on for learning programming!

[airman]

give me 5 mins to get dev cpp installed, and i'll see what i can do.

 

edit looks like markie came to the rescue. i'm gonna do this anyways just to challenge me...it's been 3 years since i've done any c++ coding

Edited February 5, 2008 by airman

[Vasto]

Thanks for the help everyone! I was able to get it and make it cout even triangles (by making two x's on the top)

[hardnrg]

/*
* Filename: isosceles.cpp
* Created by: XXXXXXXX
* Description: Prints an isosceles triangle with a base of n and a height of n
* If n=5, then the output should look like:
*	 X
*	XXX
*   XXXXX
*/

how does the height equal 5 in that example?

 

shouldn't the height be 2n - 1? oh lol, and n = 3... bah, it's 5am, base != height anyway lol

[Vasto]

Oh, good point. I guess the desription was wrong. I'm glad everyone understood what I was still trying to do though. Programming really is not my cup of tea.

[hardnrg]

You should point out that the question is wrong and that you solved for what you assumed was being asked. You might get a bonus point or a golden star or something haha

[suchuwato]

I was going to point out what hardnrg said last night, but I didn't for fear of misunderstanding and appearing stupid (Yeah, I don't know any C++ )

[Verran]

I was going to point out what hardnrg said last night, but I didn't for fear of misunderstanding and appearing stupid (Yeah, I don't know any C++ )

Between not understanding how the height was n (5) in that example and not knowing what to do with even n's, I figured I'd wait for answers before I spent time on the code But by then, markie had already done it

[Vasto]

Oh, good point. I guess the desription was wrong. I'm glad everyone understood what I was still trying to do though. Programming really is not my cup of tea.

I actually just copied the header from another program that I made (for right trangles) and modified it incorrectly. The question in the assignment was actually correct. lol