Joshua Holbrook wrote: > I don't think I've ever actually seen someone use the matrix datatype > instead of the array datatype. > > Hopefully nobody minds me asking the noob question: What's the > advantage of the matrix datatype?
The advantage of the matrix datatype is that it is a matrix in the linear algebra sense. i.e. A*B is matrix multiplication. As a matrix is, by definition, a 2-d array, matrix operations return 2-d arrays -- hence the OP's issue. I think many of us find n-d arrays far more powerful and useful, and the extra overhead of code for the handful of linear algebra operations in a given piece of code is well worth it. For those that really want a natural way to express linear algebra, the matrix class really needs some more work to do the job well. (see wiki and discussion on this list). However, no one has stepped up to do the hard work of making any of those suggestions a reality, so it's not been done. -Chris > --Josh > > On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 8:59 AM, Wayne Watson > <[email protected]> wrote: >> Thank you. That's almost amusing. Too logical for Python. I fully >> expected something like m{0}[0](0)[0:0]. :-) >> >> I don't think the tentative Numpy tutorial mentions it. >> >> On 8/3/2010 9:28 AM, [email protected] wrote: >>> Wayne, >>> >>> Matrices are two dimensional arrays so you need two indices to access an >>> individual element: >>> >>> In [1]: from numpy import matrix >>> >>> In [2]: m = matrix([[1.2],[2.3]]) >>> >>> In [3]: m[0,0] >>> Out[3]: 1.2 >>> >>> -paul >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [email protected] >>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Wayne Watson >>> Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 9:24 AM >>> To: Discussion of Numerical Python >>> Subject: [Numpy-discussion] Changing a matrix element into a scalar >>> >>> How do I access 1.2 in such a way as to end up with a float? I keep >>> getting a matrix. >>> from numpy import matrix >>> m = matrix([[1.2],[2.3]]) >>> >>> >> -- >> Wayne Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA) >> >> (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time) >> Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet >> >> "Republicans are always complaining that government is >> out of control. If they get into power, they will >> prove it." -- R. J. Rourke >> >> >> Web Page:<www.speckledwithstars.net/> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> NumPy-Discussion mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/numpy-discussion >> > _______________________________________________ > NumPy-Discussion mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/numpy-discussion -- Christopher Barker, Ph.D. Oceanographer Emergency Response Division NOAA/NOS/OR&R (206) 526-6959 voice 7600 Sand Point Way NE (206) 526-6329 fax Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 526-6317 main reception [email protected] _______________________________________________ NumPy-Discussion mailing list [email protected] http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/numpy-discussion
