Asterisk (*) is commonly used to multiply Integers/Float/Double but in python they are used with Strings, Arrays and Tuples as well.
Let's see how
s = "shy"
print(s*3)
"shyshyshy"
It is very useful while solving pattern designing problems. Let us have a look on the famous Hackerrank challenge 'Designing a Door Mat"
Link to the problem:
hackerrank.com/challenges/designer-door-mat..
Solution:
n,m =map(int, input().split())
for i in range(n):
pattern = ".|."
if i<(n-1)/2:
print((pattern*(2*i +1)).center(m,"-"))
elif i==(n-1)/2:
print("WELCOME".center(m, "-"))
else:
print((pattern*(2*(n-1-i)+1)).center(m,"-"))
Now here Asterisk is operating on both integer as well as string If you have looked at the problem mentioned above you have seen that we have to print pattern(.|.) in upper triangular form(๐ผ) surrounded with "-" and then we have to print welcome in the middle surrounded with "-" and then pattern in lowe triangular form (๐ฝ) surrounded with "-" ,so in if condition we are printing the pattern in ๐ผ form by the help of * pattern is being increased by 2i+1 times and it is being placed in center with the help of center() function of string