What is NumPy in Python?

a) A library for numerical computing in Python

b) A library for creating graphical user interfaces

c) A library for working with regular expressions

d) A library for web development in Python

Answer:

a) A library for numerical computing in Python

Explanation:

NumPy (Numerical Python) is a powerful library for numerical computing in Python. It provides support for arrays, matrices, and a wide range of mathematical functions to operate on these data structures. NumPy is widely used in scientific computing, data analysis, and machine learning due to its efficiency and ease of use.

import numpy as np

# Example of creating a NumPy array
arr = np.array([1, 2, 3, 4, 5])
print(arr)  # Output: [1 2 3 4 5]

In this example, a NumPy array is created using the array() function. NumPy arrays are more efficient than Python lists for numerical computations due to their fixed size and optimized performance.

NumPy is a fundamental library in the Python ecosystem, serving as the foundation for many other libraries, such as pandas, SciPy, and TensorFlow, which are used in data science, machine learning, and scientific research.