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Introduction
Data analytics is the science of analyzing raw data to make conclusions about that information. Python, with its rich technology stack, has become a staple in the data analytics field due to its simplicity and powerful libraries.
In this article, we'll explore how Python is used in data analytics, diving into numerical data analysis with NumPy and data manipulation with Pandas, accompanied by practical code examples.
What is Python Data Analytics?
Python data analytics refers to the process of analyzing datasets to extract meaningful insights. Python, as a programming language, offers a plethora of libraries and tools that make this task not just possible but also efficient. It's the go-to for many data scientists and analysts due to its readability and straightforward syntax.
Steps of Data Analysis in Python
Data analysis in Python can be broken down into several key steps:
Data Collection: Gathering the raw data from various sources.
Data Wrangling: Cleaning and preparing the data for analysis.
Exploratory Data Analysis: Understanding the data by summarizing its main characteristics often with visual methods.
Data Modeling: Creating models to predict or understand phenomena.
Data Interpretation: Making sense of the data and its analysis to make informed decisions.
Let's define these steps profoundly with examples using Python's libraries.
NumPy is a fundamental package for scientific computing in Python. It provides support for arrays, matrices, and high-level mathematical functions to operate on these data structures.
Arrays in NumPy
An array is a central data structure of the NumPy library. It is a grid of values, all of the same type, and is indexed by a tuple of nonnegative integers. NumPy arrays are faster and more compact than Python lists. An array consumes less memory and is convenient to use. Create Array using numpy.empty
Python
Python
import numpy as np
# Create an uninitialized array of specified shape and dtype
empty_array = np.empty((3, 2), dtype=float)
print("Empty Array:")
print(empty_array)
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This code snippet creates an empty array with random values depending on the state of the memory. Here, (3, 2) defines the shape of the array as 3 rows and 2 columns.
Output
Create Array using numpy.zeros
# Create an array filled with zeros
Python
Python
import numpy as np
zero_array = np.zeros((2, 3), dtype=int)
print("Zero Array:")
print(zero_array)
You can also try this code with Online Python Compiler
Broadcasting describes how NumPy treats arrays with different shapes during arithmetic operations. Subject to certain constraints, the smaller array is “broadcast” across the larger array so that they have compatible shapes.
Broadcasting Rules
If arrays do not have the same rank, prepend the shape of the lower rank array with 1s until both shapes have the same length.
The two arrays are said to be compatible in a dimension if they have the same size in the dimension or if one of the arrays has size 1 in that dimension.
The arrays can be broadcast together if they are compatible in all dimensions.
After broadcasting, each array behaves as if it had shape equal to the element-wise maximum of shapes of the two input arrays.
In any dimension where one array had size 1 and the other array had a size greater than 1, the first array behaves as if it were copied along that dimension.
Analyzing Data Using Pandas
Pandas is a library providing high-performance, easy-to-use data structures, and data analysis tools for Python. The two primary data structures of pandas are Series (1-dimensional) and DataFrame (2-dimensional).
Series
A Series is a one-dimensional labeled array capable of holding any data type.
Python
Python
import pandas as pd
Import numpy as np
# Creating a Series
s = pd.Series([1, 3, 5, np.nan, 6, 8])
print(s)
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Join columns with other DataFrame either on index or on a key column.
# Joining two DataFrames
joined_df = df1.join(df2)
print(joined_df)
Visualization with Matplotlib
Matplotlib is a plotting library for Python which gives you control over every aspect of a figure. It has functions for plotting a variety of graphs such as line, bar, scatter, histogram, etc.
Pyplot
Pyplot provides a MATLAB-like interface for making plots.
Python
Python
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.plot([1, 2, 3, 4], [1, 4, 9, 16])
plt.axis([0, 6, 0, 20])
plt.show()
You can also try this code with Online Python Compiler
Python is preferred for its simplicity, readability, and the rich ecosystem of data analysis libraries available.
Can Python handle large datasets?
Yes, Python can handle large datasets, especially with libraries like Pandas and NumPy that are optimized for performance.
Is Python suitable for complex data analysis?
Absolutely, Python's libraries provide advanced functionalities for complex data analysis tasks.
How does Python help in data visualization?
Python has libraries like Matplotlib and Seaborn that offer a wide range of functions to create visually appealing and informative statistical graphics.
What is the role of Pandas in Python data analytics?
Pandas provide structured data operations and functions that are essential for data cleaning, transformation, manipulation, and analysis.
Conclusion
Python's simplicity and the vast array of libraries make it an excellent choice for data analytics. NumPy and Pandas simplify data manipulation and analysis, while Matplotlib provides powerful tools for data visualization. With Python, you can handle the entire data analysis pipeline, from cleaning and analyzing data to visualizing and presenting results.