How to Draw a Square Inside Another Square Using Python

In this tutorial, I will show you how to draw a square inside another square using Python. Python programming is an excellent way to illustrate and understand essential concepts in mathematics and computer graphics.

We’ll be utilizing the Python Turtle module that provides a Screen class and various methods that are used to perform some actions in a specific area.

Step 1: Setting up Python and Turtle

To begin this tutorial, make sure you have Python installed on your computer. You can download it from the official Python website.

After installing Python, we will be using the Python Turtle graphics module in this tutorial. This module comes pre-installed with Python, so there’s no need to install it separately.

Step 2: Initialize the Turtle Module

Bear in mind that the Turtle module in Python means we have a pen that we can move around the screen. This module is excellent for drawing shapes for this tutorial.

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import turtle
 
# Create the screen
sc = turtle.Screen()
 
# Define the turtle instance
pen = turtle.Turtle()

Step 3: Define a Function for Drawing a Square

Now that we have our Turtle and screen set up, let’s define a function that will draw a square. For this purpose, we make the pen move forward for some pixels, then turn right for 90 degrees. We will do this four times to draw a square.

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def draw_square(pen, size):
    for _ in range(4):
        pen.forward(size)
        pen.right(90)

Step 4: Draw the Nested Squares

With our function, we are prepared to draw the nested squares. To draw a smaller square within a bigger square, we draw the larger one first, then relocate the pen to a new position and draw the smaller one.

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draw_square(pen, 100)  # Draw the bigger square
pen.penup()  # Lift up the pen
pen.goto(-20, -20)  # Move the pen to a new location
pen.pendown()  # Put the pen back down
draw_square(pen, 60)  # Draw the smaller square

Full Python Code

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import turtle
 
# Create the screen
sc = turtle.Screen()
 
# Define the turtle instance
pen = turtle.Turtle()
 
def draw_square(pen, size):
    for _ in range(4):
        pen.forward(size)
        pen.right(90)
 
# Draw the bigger square
draw_square(pen, 100)
 
# Lift up the pen
pen.penup()
 
# Move the pen to a new location
pen.goto(-20, -20)
 
# Put the pen back down
pen.pendown()
 
# Draw the smaller square
draw_square(pen, 60)
 
# To keep the graphics window open
turtle.done()

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we looked at how to draw a square within another square using Python’s Turtle module. This is an excellent introduction to using Python for simple computer graphics. Now you can experiment with the Turtle module and try drawing other shapes or nested structures. Happy coding!