Matplotlib Exercises

:books: What you'll learn

• How to create line graphs using Matplotlib
• Adding titles, labels, and legends to graphs
• Customizing graph colors and styles
• Converting between different graph types (line to bar)
• Working with multiple data series on one graph

:information_source: Total Activity Time: 45-60 minutes

• Setup: 5 minutes
• Question One: 20-25 minutes
• Question 2: 20-25 minutes
• Submission: 5 minutes

:computer: Getting Started

1. Click the link here
2. Make a copy of the Colab Notebook into your Google Drive
3. Name your copy with your name and today's date (e.g., "John_Matplotlib_2024")

Import Required Packages

Copy and paste this code into the first cell of your notebook:

import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

:bulb: :bulb: Remember: Always run the import cell first before starting any exercises!

Question One: Telebort Sports Day Graph

⏱️ Time: 20-25 minutes

Let's create a line graph showing the medals won by each Hogwarts house!

:computer: Step-by-Step Instructions

One. Create the data lists

Copy and paste this code into a new cell:

python

houses = ["Gryffindor", "Ravenclaw", "Hufflepuff", "Slytherin"]
gold = [5, 7, 6, 2]
silver = [4, 5, 5, 6]
bronze = [5, 3, 4, 8]

2. Plot the graph lines

Add these three lines to plot each medal type:

python

plt.plot(houses, gold)
plt.plot(houses, silver)
plt.plot(houses, bronze)

3. Add title and labels

python

plt.title("Telebort Sports Day: Number of Medals For Each House")
plt.xlabel("Houses")
plt.ylabel("Number of medals")

4. Add the legend

python

plt.legend(["Gold", "Silver", "Bronze"])

5. Display the graph

python

plt.show()

tip :bulb: Pro tip: Run all the code in one cell to see your complete graph!

:star2: Bonus Challenge

Try to recreate this styled version:

:bulb: :bulb: Hints for styling:

• Use 'r--' for red dashed lines
• Use 'g:' for green dotted lines
• Use 'b-.' for blue dash-dot lines
• Example: plt.plot(houses, gold, 'r--')

Question 2: Student Population Graph

⏱️ Time: 20-25 minutes

Let's create a graph showing the number of male and female students in each class!

:computer: Step-by-Step Instructions

One. Create the data lists

Copy and paste this code into a new cell:

classes = ["Class 1", "Class 2", "Class 3"]
male = [9, 10, 8]
female = [12, 6, 15]

2. Plot the graph lines

plt.plot(classes, male)
plt.plot(classes, female)

3. Add title and labels

plt.title("Number of Students in Each Class")
plt.xlabel("Classes")
plt.ylabel("Number of students")

4. Add the legend

plt.legend(["Male", "Female"])

5. Display the graph

plt.show()

:star2: Bonus Challenge: Bar Graph

Convert your line graph to a bar graph:

:bulb: :bulb: Hints for bar graphs:

• Replace plt.plot() with plt.bar()
• You'll need to adjust the x-positions for multiple bars
• Use np.arange(len(classes)) to create x-positions
• Add width parameter: width = 0.35
• Offset one set of bars: x - width/2 and x + width/2

:memo: Submission

:warning: Warning Before submitting:

1. :white_check_mark: Make sure both graphs display correctly
2. :white_check_mark: Check that all labels and titles are spelled correctly
3. :white_check_mark: Save your Colab notebook (File -> Save)
4. :white_check_mark: Take screenshots of your graphs if needed

:information_source: :link: Submit your exercise here Your submission helps us track your progress and provide feedback!

:wrench: Troubleshooting

Common Issues:

• Graph not showing? Make sure you included plt.show() at the end
• Legend not matching lines? Check the order of your plot commands matches your legend list
• Import error? Run the import cell at the beginning first
• Overlapping bars? Adjust the width and x-positions in the bar graph