PHP Number Triangle Pattern (Consecutive Offset)

Beginner
5 min read
Updated: Sep 2026
3 programs
Live preview

What Is This Pattern?

An increasing number triangle from 1 prints $i values on row $i, each computed as $i + $j - 1 — so each row starts with its own row number.

Remember
Rule: for i from 1 to rows
        for j from 1 to i
          print (i + j - 1) and a space

1
2 3
3 4 5
4 5 6 7
5 6 7 8 9     ← rows = 5

Follows the triangle from 11 in Program 32; next is the variant from 0 in Program 34.

How to Solve It

Outer loop grows $i. Inner loop prints $i values with the formula $i + $j - 1, separated by spaces.

MethodIdeaBest for
Formula $i + $j - 1When $j = 1, value equals $i — row starts at its indexLearning, interviews, exams
Compare offsetsSame shape as Program 32, but no base-9 shiftSeeing how formulas change the start

Pseudocode

Pseudocode
for i from 1 to rows:
    for j from 1 to i:
        print (i + j - 1) and a space
    print newline

Cheat sheet

GoalPattern
Grow each rowfor ($i = 1; $i <= $rows; $i++)
Print i valuesfor ($j = 1; $j <= $i; $j++)
Start at 1echo ($i + $j - 1) . " ";
Row starts at iWhen $j = 1, $i + $j - 1 = $i
End of rowecho PHP_EOL;

Printing Numbers vs Starting a New Line

APIEffectUse for
echo value . " "Stays on the same lineEach number on the row
echo PHP_EOLEnds the current lineAfter the inner loop finishes

Print values without a newline, then end the row once.

Live Preview

Change the row count and the increasing triangle updates instantly — capped at 9 for readable demos.

Whole numbers from 1 to 9. Tap a chip or type a value — the preview redraws as you go.

Live result rows = 5 · 15 numbers
1 
2 3 
3 4 5 
4 5 6 7 
5 6 7 8 9 

Worked Walkthrough — $rows = 5

Trace how each ($i, $j) pair maps to $i + $j - 1.

$iValuesCountPrints
1111
22, 322 3
33, 4, 533 4 5
44..744 5 6 7
55..955 6 7 8 9

Total numbers = 1 + 2 + … + n = n(n+1)/2 → O(n²).

PHP Programs

Three complete programs: fixed $rows = 5, CLI input, and a compact $rows = 3 demo. Use View Output to reveal sample results.

Example 1 — Fixed $rows = 5

Hard-coded height — print $i + $j - 1 with a trailing space on each cell.

PHP
<?php
for ($i = 1; $i <= 5; $i++) {
    for ($j = 1; $j <= $i; $j++) {
        echo ($i + $j - 1) . " ";
    }
    echo PHP_EOL;
}
?>

How It Works

1. Outer grows the width. Row $i prints exactly $i numbers.

2. Formula fills the cells. $i + $j - 1 makes row $i start at $i and count upward.

3. Newline once. Call echo PHP_EOL only after the inner loop finishes.

Example 2 — User Input Rows

Read $rows from the CLI, validate, then use the same formula core.

PHP
<?php
echo "Enter rows: ";
$input = trim(fgets(STDIN));

if (!is_numeric($input) || (int) $input <= 0) {
    echo "Please enter a positive integer." . PHP_EOL;
    exit(1);
}

$rows = (int) $input;

for ($i = 1; $i <= $rows; $i++) {
    for ($j = 1; $j <= $i; $j++) {
        echo ($i + $j - 1) . " ";
    }
    echo PHP_EOL;
}
?>

How It Works

1. Prompt and validate. Reject non-numeric and non-positive values before printing.

2. Same core. $i + $j - 1 matches Example 1 — only $rows comes from the user.

3. Safer input tip. Cap demos for readable output:

Safer input
if (!is_numeric($input) || (int) $input < 1 || (int) $input > 9) {
    echo "Enter a whole number from 1 to 9." . PHP_EOL;
    exit(1);
}

Example 3 — Compact $rows = 3

Same structure with only three rows — easy to confirm the formula on paper.

PHP
<?php
$rows = 3;

for ($i = 1; $i <= $rows; $i++) {
    for ($j = 1; $j <= $i; $j++) {
        echo ($i + $j - 1) . " ";
    }
    echo PHP_EOL;
}
?>

How It Works

1. Three rows. $i = 1 → 1; $i = 2 → 2 3; $i = 3 → 3 4 5.

2. Trace on paper. If you use $i + $j instead of $i + $j - 1, every value shifts up by one.

3. Scale up next. Once the small demo is clear, use Examples 1–2 for five rows or user input.

Edge Cases & Pitfalls

Check these before calling the solution done.

i + j

Missing −1

Using $i + $j or 9 + $i + $j shifts every value — rows no longer start at the row number. Keep $i + $j - 1.

j <= rows

Rectangle instead of triangle

Inner bound $j <= $rows makes every row the same width. Use $j <= $i.

no space

Glued numbers

Without . " ", values run together (23). Always print a trailing space.

PHP_EOL inside

Broken rows

If echo PHP_EOL sits inside the inner loop, you get one number per line. Call it only after the loop.

rows = 1

Single value

Output is just 1. A good sanity check for input validation.

fgets

Check is_numeric

Bare (int) casts turn non-numeric strings into 0 — prefer is_numeric before casting.

Time and Space Complexity

ProgramTimeExtra space
Fixed / input (Examples 1–2)O(n²)O(1)
Compact rows = 3 (Example 3)O(n²)O(1)

Row $i prints i numbers. Total = 1 + 2 + … + n = n(n+1)/2 → O(n²) time. Only a few loop variables are needed.

Key Takeaways

  • Formula: each cell is $i + $j - 1 — row $i starts at $i.
  • Growing width: inner loop runs $j = 1..$i so row $i has $i numbers.
  • Break the row: values with spaces in the inner loop; echo PHP_EOL after it finishes.
  • Complexity: O(n²) time from n(n+1)/2 prints; O(1) extra space.

One line: for each row $i, print $i + $j - 1 for $j = 1..$i with spaces, then echo PHP_EOL.

Frequently Asked Questions

An increasing triangle from 1: for rows=5 you get 1 / 2 3 / 3 4 5 / 4 5 6 7 / 5 6 7 8 9 — each value is $i + $j - 1.
Because when $j = 1, the expression $i + $j - 1 becomes $i. Row 4 therefore starts with 4.
$j increases by 1, so $i + $j - 1 increases by 1 as well — producing consecutive numbers on each row.
Program 32 uses 9 + $i + $j (starts at 11). Program 33 uses $i + $j - 1 (starts at 1).
Program 33 uses $i + $j - 1 with $i starting at 1. Program 34 uses $i + $j with $i starting at 0.
echo ($i + $j - 1) . " " keeps values separated on the same row. echo PHP_EOL ends the row.
Use trim(fgets(STDIN)) and check is_numeric($input) before casting to int — see Example 2.
O(n²) for n rows because total prints are 1 + 2 + … + n = n(n+1)/2.

Did you know?

Each printed value is computed as $i + $j - 1. Row $i = 1 prints 1; row $i = 4 prints 4, 5, 6, 7 — a left-shifted increasing triangle starting at 1.

Next: Increasing Triangle from 0

Continue with the same shape using $i + $j and an outer loop from 0.

Program 34 tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P
Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

  • Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
  • Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

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