Python:NumPy .ceil()

In NumPy, the .ceil() function rounds each element in an array to the nearest integer that is greater than or equal to the element. This function is applied to real numbers.

Syntax

numpy.ceil(x, out=None, where=True)

Parameters:

• x: The input array or scalar that contains the elements to be rounded up.
• out (Optional): A location where the result will be stored. If no value is provided, a new array is returned.
• where (Optional): A boolean array that specifies the condition for rounding.
  • If the condition is True at a given position, the element will be rounded.
  • If the condition is False, the original value is retained.
  • If no value is provided, the .ceil() function is applied to all elements.

Return value:

The .ceil() function returns a NumPy array with the smallest integers greater than or equal to each element in x, returned as floats.

Example 1: Basic Usage of .ceil()

This example demonstrates using the .ceil() function to round an array of floating-point numbers up to the nearest greater integer:

# Importing the 'numpy' library as 'np'
import numpy as np

# Creating an array of floating-point numbers
arr = np.array([1.4, 2.7, -0.2, -3.1])

# Applying the '.ceil()' function
result = np.ceil(arr)

print(result)

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The above code results in the following output:

[ 2.  3. -0. -3.]

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Example 2: Using the where parameter in .ceil()

This example shows how the where parameter of .ceil() can be used to apply rounding only to certain elements of the array. In this case, only the positive numbers are rounded:

# Importing the 'numpy' library as 'np'
import numpy as np

# Creating an array of floating-point numbers
arr = np.array([1.4, 2.7, -0.2, -3.1])

# Applying '.ceil()' only where the elements are positive
np.ceil(arr, out=arr, where=arr > 0)

print(arr)

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The above code results in the following output:

[ 2.  3. -0.2 -3.1]

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Codebyte Example: Calculating Shipping Boxes

Suppose there is a list of item weights, and each shipping box can carry up to 10 kg. The following example uses numpy.ceil() to calculate how many boxes will be needed for each order:

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between numpy.ceil() and numpy.floor()?

• numpy.ceil() rounds up to the nearest higher integer.
• numpy.floor() rounds down to the nearest lower integer.

2. Does numpy.ceil() return integers?

No. Even though the result is a whole number, it is returned as a float.

3. Can numpy.ceil() be used with negative numbers?

Yes. For negative values, it still rounds up toward zero.

4. How is numpy.ceil() different from Python’s math.ceil()?

• math.ceil() works with a single float value and returns an int.
• numpy.ceil() works on arrays and returns a NumPy array of floats.