Printing Simple Diamond Pattern in Python

Question

I would like to print the following pattern in Python 3.5 (I\'m new to coding):

    *
   ***
  *****
 *******
*********
 *******
  *****
   ***
    *
         


        

Answer 1

Another possibility. Depending on which (space or star) one uses, (I used space) convert it to absolute value. This implementation doesn't require splitting the diamond into two loops (upper and lower halves).

def diamond(n):
    star = 1
    main = ''
    # if required to manage zero or negative n
    if n%2 == 0:
        return None
    if n<0:
        return None
    else:
        for i in range(1,n+1):
            string = ''
            space = abs(i - int((n+1)/2))
            star = n - 2 * space
            string = space * ' ' + star * '*' + '\n'
            main += string
        # not necessary but useful to visualize diamond 
        #print(main)
        return(main)