void recurseivefunction(int x)
{
  // do something
  recurseivefunction(x+1);
  // do something else
}

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main(void)
{

	bool flag = 0;
	int userInput = 0;

	cout << "Please enter a number: ";
	cin >> userInput;
	cout << endl << "Your pattern looks like this: " << endl << endl;
	
	int count = 1;

	while (count <= userInput && count > 0)
	{
		if (!flag)
		{
			for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
			{
				cout << "*";
			}
			if (count < userInput)
			{
				count++;
			}
			else
			{
				flag = true;
				count--;
			}
			cout << endl;
		}
		else
		{
			for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
			{
				cout << "*";
			}
			count--;
			cout << endl;
		}
	}
	
	cout << endl;
	return 0;

}

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

void DisplayLine(int nCurrentDepth, int nDepth)
{
  int i;

  for(i = 0; i < nCurrentDepth; i++)
    cout << "*";

  cout << endl;

  if(nCurrentDepth >= nDepth)
    return ;

  DisplayLine(nCurrentDepth+1, nDepth);

  for(i = 0; i < nCurrentDepth; i++)
    cout << "*";

  cout << endl;

  return ;
}

int main(void)
{
  int   nDepth=0;

  cout << "Please enter a number: ";
  cin  >> nDepth;
  cout << endl << "Your pattern looks like this: " << endl << endl;

  DisplayLine(0, nDepth);

  return 0;
}