Python Lab Tutorials: Python Libraries

The following libraries will be covered:

1. Sympy: a library for symbolic computation where variables are represented as symbols
2. Numpy: a library for numerical computation using numbers
3. Scipy: a library that has functions for solving equations numerically, will be covered as a numerical equivalent to Sympy’s solve functions
4. Matplotlib: a graphing library

Import Library

Libraries are collections of functions that need to be imported. To import a library do one of the following:

1. import <library>
   1. Imports the entire library. To call a function from the library, use <library>.<function>()
   2. Example: import numpy, then call the function numpy.pi
2. import <library> as <name>
   1. Imports the entire library as a different name. To call a function from the library, use <name>.<function>()
   2. Example: import numpy as np, then call the function np.pi
3. from <library> import <function>
   1. Imports only the function from the library and nothing else. To call the function, use <function>()
   2. Example: from numpy import pi, then call the function pi