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Python Data Science Basics Describing Data Loading Raw Data

Alex Peck
Alex Peck
6,907 Points
Posted by Alex Peck
Alex Peck
6,907 Points

How did you choose DATATYPES?

I'm able to follow along with the code, but I'd like to know a bit more about how and why you chose the options you did for the data types.

Would you please explain: i, f8, a200, <i8, |SXXX.

My understanding is that these relate to integers, floats (up to 8 decimals), no idea about a200, integers (less than 8 decimals), and strings up to a certain length...

... but these are just my guesses and I'd love to know a bit more from the teacher about why she choose the data type and how to think about choosing data types for our own projects.

Also, it looks like you can use basic Python operators to fine tune the datatypes.

This seems like a rich vein to mine for more info.

Thanks!

3 Answers

John Marquess
John Marquess
11,783 Points
John Marquess
John Marquess
11,783 Points

From the numpy reference for array dtypes in the docs:

The first character specifies the kind of data and the remaining characters specify the number of bytes per item.

'b' boolean
'i' (signed) integer
'u' unsigned integer
'f' floating-point
'c' complex-floating point
'O' (Python) objects
'S', 'a'    (byte-)string
'U' Unicode
'V' raw data (void)

Available here:

Alex Peck
Alex Peck
6,907 Points
Alex Peck
Alex Peck
6,907 Points

Thank you John! This is just what I was looking for.

Carlos Caro
Carlos Caro
9,528 Points
Carlos Caro
Carlos Caro
9,528 Points

The instructor should be more clear where information is coming from ... just pasting content doesn't help the students

man odell
man odell
1,905 Points
man odell
man odell
1,905 Points

this is one of python advantages or high level language (easy to write), no variable type in python language same as java or c but in variable name u should write character in first litter of your variable name

Gregory Thompson Jr.
Gregory Thompson Jr.
237 Points
Gregory Thompson Jr.
Gregory Thompson Jr.
237 Points

There's a type once it's defined. All objects come with a type, an id, and a value.