Python Binary Number Triangle Pattern (Starting with 1)

Beginner
5 min read
Updated: Sep 2026
3 programs
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What Is This Pattern?

An alternating binary triangle starting with 1 grows one digit per row, printing 0 or 1 from j % 2 as the inner index counts up — so every row begins with 1.

Remember
Rule: outer i = 1..rows; inner j = 1..i; print j % 2

1
10
101
1010
10101   ← rows = 5

In Python you solve it with ascending outer and inner loops: print(j % 2, end="") prints each bit, then bare print() ends the row. Program 15 is the descending-inner twin (1, 01, 101…).

How to Solve It

Outer loop from 1 to rows. Inner loop from 1 to current i, printing j % 2. End each row with print().

MethodIdeaBest for
Ascending + j % 2Count j up; print parity as the bitLearning, interviews, exams
Flip bitsPrint 1 - (j % 2)Complementary triangle labs

Pseudocode

Pseudocode
for i from 1 to rows:
    for j from 1 to i:
        print j % 2 (no newline)
    print newline

Cheat sheet

GoalPattern
Grow row lengthfor i in range(1, rows + 1):
Print binary digitfor j in range(1, i + 1): print(j % 2, end="")
End the rowprint()
Flip every bitprint(1 - (j % 2), end="")
Program 15 twinfor j in range(i, 0, -1): print(j % 2, end="")

Printing Numbers vs Starting a New Line

APIEffectUse for
print(j % 2, end="")Stays on the same lineEach binary digit
print()Ends the current lineAfter the inner loop

Print all bits without a newline, then end the row once.

Live Preview

Change the row count and the binary triangle updates instantly.

Whole numbers from 1 to 12. Tap a chip or type a value — the preview redraws as you go.

Live result 5 rows · 15 digits
1
10
101
1010
10101

Worked Walkthrough

Trace three outer values when rows = 5 — watch j % 2 flip as j counts up.

iInner jj % 2Printed row
1111
21, 21, 010
31, 2, 31, 0, 1101
51..51,0,1,0,110101

Total digits are 1+2+3+4+5 = 15 — the triangular number n(n+1)/2.

Python Programs

Three complete programs: fixed height, flipped bits, and input(). Use View Output for sample results.

Example 1 — Fixed rows = 5

Outer grows, inner counts up, print j % 2.

Python
rows = 5

for i in range(1, rows + 1):
    for j in range(1, i + 1):
        print(j % 2, end="")
    print()

How It Works

1. Outer grows the length. i runs from 1 to rows — that is how many bits each row gets.

2. Inner prints parity. j counts up from 1 to i; j % 2 is the bit — so each row starts with 1.

3. End the row. Call bare print() only after the inner loop finishes.

Example 2 — Flip with 1 - (j % 2)

Invert every bit so the first row starts with 0 instead of 1.

Python
rows = 5

for i in range(1, rows + 1):
    for j in range(1, i + 1):
        print(1 - (j % 2), end="")
    print()

How It Works

1. Same loop bounds. Outer and inner ranges match Example 1.

2. Flip the bit. 1 - (j % 2) turns 1 into 0 and 0 into 1.

3. First row becomes 0. Useful when a lab asks for the complementary binary triangle.

Example 3 — User Input

Read the row count from the keyboard. Prefer a try / except in real apps (shown in the tip below).

Python
rows = int(input("Enter the number of rows: "))

for i in range(1, rows + 1):
    for j in range(1, i + 1):
        print(j % 2, end="")
    print()

How It Works

1. Same loop core. Only the source of rows changes from a literal to keyboard input.

2. Entering 4 stops early. You get four binary rows ending at 1010.

3. Safer input tip. Bare int(input()) raises ValueError on letters. Prefer:

Safer input
raw = input("Enter the number of rows: ").strip()
try:
    rows = int(raw)
except ValueError:
    print("Enter a positive whole number.")
    raise SystemExit(1)
if rows < 1:
    print("Enter a positive whole number.")
    raise SystemExit(1)

Edge Cases & Pitfalls

Check these before calling the solution done.

wrong twin

for j in range(i, 0, -1)

That is Program 15 (1, 01, 101). Keep counting up for this pattern.

print(j)

print(j, end="") instead of print(j % 2, end="")

That prints the ascending numbers. This pattern needs the parity bit only.

print() inside

Bare print(j % 2) inside the inner loop

That puts each bit on its own line. Use print(j % 2, end="") for bits; call bare print() only after the row finishes.

rows = 1

Single bit

Output is just 1 — a good sanity check.

rows ≤ 0

Empty output

The outer loop never runs. Validate and prompt again for clearer UX.

spaces

Do not add spaces between bits

The classic sample is concatenated (10101), not spaced (1 0 1 0 1).

Time and Space Complexity

ProgramTimeExtra space
Fixed / flip / input (Examples 1–3)O(n²)O(1)

There are n rows printing 1+2+…+n bits, so total work is n(n+1)/2.

Key Takeaways

  • Rule: for each row i, print j % 2 while j counts from 1 up to i.
  • Starts with 1: because the first j is always odd.
  • end= vs print(): bits stay on the line; bare print() advances after each row.
  • Next step: Program 17 prints left-shifted odd numbers in a growing triangle.

One line: for each row length i, print j % 2 from 1 up to i with end="", then call print().

Frequently Asked Questions

Modulo 2 returns the remainder after dividing by 2. Any integer is either even (remainder 0) or odd (remainder 1).
On row 2, the inner loop prints j = 1 then j = 2. That becomes 1 % 2 = 1 then 2 % 2 = 0, so the row is 10.
print(j % 2, end="") stays on the same line. print() ends the current line. Binary digits use end=""; the row break uses print() after the inner loop.
Row 3 prints j = 1, 2, 3 and j % 2 becomes 1, 0, 1 — concatenated as 101.
Program 16 counts the inner loop up (range(1, i + 1)) producing 1, 10, 101, 1010, 10101. Program 15 counts down (range(i, 0, -1)) producing 1, 01, 101, 0101, 10101.
Yes. Print 1 - (j % 2) instead of j % 2 to flip every digit — first row becomes 0 instead of 1.
O(n²) where n is the number of rows. Total digit prints equal n+(n-1)+…+1 = n(n+1)/2.
Wrap int(input()) in try/except ValueError, or check that the raw string is digits, and require rows >= 1.
The outer loop never runs, so nothing is printed. Validate and prompt again if you want a clear user message.

Did you know?

Each row prints alternating 0 and 1 using j % 2. The inner loop counts up with range(1, i + 1), so every row starts with 1 — still O(n²) total prints.

Next: Left-Shifted Odd Number Triangle

Continue with rows of odd numbers that slide left as they grow.

Program 17 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
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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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