python - Checking odd/even numbers and changing outputs on number size

Question

I have a couple of problems to solve for an assignment, and am a bit stuck. The question is to write a program that gets the user to input an odd number (check it's odd), then print an upside down pyramid of stars based on the size of the input.

For example, if you enter 5, it comes up with

*****
 ***
  *

My problem is therefore two-fold.

1) How do I check if it's even or odd? I tried if number/2 == int in the hope that it might do something, and the internet tells me to do if number%2==0, but that doesn't work.

2) How do I change the asterisks in the middle of each line?

Any help with either problem is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Giving you the complete answer would have no point at all since this is homework, so here are a few pointers :

Even or Odd:

number % 2 == 0

definitely is a very good way to find whether your number is even.

In case you do not know %, this does modulo which is here the remainder of the division of number by 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modulo_operation

Printing the pyramid:

First advice: In order to print *****, you can do print "*" * 5.

Second advice: In order to center the asterisks, you need to find out how many spaces to write before the asterisks. Then you can print a bunch of spaces and asterisks with print " "*1 + "*"*3