Create a matrix with alternating rectangles of O and X

Introduction

In the field of pattern generation and algorithmic design, the notion of alternating pieces inside a matrix poses an interesting problem. Creating a matrix with alternating rectangles of 'O' and 'X' requires fundamental programming abilities, reasoning, and pattern recognition. In this essay, we will investigate the methods used to create such matrices, unraveling the complexities of the process.

Understanding The Problem

Before getting into the implementation specifics, it is critical to understand the issue statement fully. We want to create a matrix out of alternating rectangles of 'O' and 'X', with neighboring rectangles having different letters. The size of these rectangles may differ, adding another level of intricacy to the challenge. To do this, we must build an algorithm that efficiently generates such matrices while keeping to the defined pattern.

Algorithmic Approach

We may divide the effort into smaller, more manageable pieces to address this issue efficiently. The algorithmic technique is summarised as follows:

1. Define the matrix's dimensions and the sizes of the alternate rectangles.
2. Iterate across the matrix's rows and columns, filling each cell with 'O' or 'X' according to location.
3. Use logic to identify which character ('O' or 'X') to insert in each cell based on the current rectangle.
4. Ensure that neighboring rectangles have distinct characters while keeping the alternate pattern.
5. Repeat the technique until the entire matrix is covered with the chosen design.

Pseudocode

Example

1. Initialise the matrix:

• Begin with an empty matrix:

2. Fill the matrix with alternating rectangles.

• Iterate over each cell and see if it belongs to a 'O' or 'X' rectangle.

3. Display the matrix:

• Display the filled matrix:

Implementation

Output:

Explanation:

1. The function generate_alternating_matrix

• This function creates a matrix with alternating rectangles of 'O' and 'X'.
• It requires three parameters: rows (the number of rows in the matrix), cols (the number of columns in the matrix), and rectangle_size (the size of each rectangle).

Inside the function:

• We define a 2D character array matrix to hold the produced matrix.
• We use stacked loops to traverse over each cell in the matrix.
• We use modular arithmetic to decide whether to insert 'O' or 'X' in each cell based on the current location of the rectangle.
• After filling out the matrix, another series of nested loops is used to show the results.

2. Main function:

• In the main function, we use the generate_alternating_matrix function with the required arguments (rows, columns, and rectangle_size).

3. Output:

When you run this program, it will generate and display the matrix with alternating rectangles of 'O' and 'X' based on the specified parameters.