5 Python Pandas Tricky Examples for Data Analysis

Srinimf
2 min readJun 27, 2023

Here are five tricky examples that showcase some advanced techniques for data analysis using pandas.

Python pandas examples
Python pandas

#1 Dealing with datetime data

import pandas as pd

# Convert a column to datetime format

data[‘date_column’] = pd.to_datetime(data[‘date_column’])

# Extract components from datetime (e.g., year, month, day)

data[‘year’] = data[‘date_column’].dt.year

data[‘month’] = data[‘date_column’].dt.month

# Calculate the time difference between two datetime columns

data[‘time_diff’] = data[‘end_time’] — data[‘start_time’]

#2 Working with text data

# Convert text to lowercase

data[‘text_column’] = data[‘text_column’].str.lower()

# Count the occurrences of specific words in a text column

data[‘word_count’] = data[‘text_column’].str.count(‘word’)

# Extract information using regular expressions

data[‘extracted_info’] = data[‘text_column’].str.extract(r’(\d+)’)

#3 Handling large datasets efficiently

# Read a large dataset in chunks

chunk_size = 100000

data_chunks = pd.read_csv(‘large_data.csv’, chunksize=chunk_size)

# Process data in chunks

for chunk in data_chunks:

# Perform calculations or manipulations on each chunk

# Append data from multiple files

file_list = [‘file1.csv’, ‘file2.csv’, ‘file3.csv’]

combined_data = pd.concat([pd.read_csv(file) for file in file_list])

#4 Pivot tables and reshaping data

# Create a pivot table

pivot_table = data.pivot_table(values=’column2', index=’column1', columns=’column3', aggfunc=’mean’)

# Unstack a multi-index DataFrame

unstacked_data = pivot_table.unstack().reset_index()

# Melt a DataFrame from wide to long format

melted_data = pd.melt(data, id_vars=[‘id’], value_vars=[‘var1’, ‘var2’], var_name=’variable’, value_name=’value’)

#5 Efficient memory usage

# Optimize memory usage of DataFrame columns

data[‘numeric_column’] = pd.to_numeric(data[‘numeric_column’], downcast=’integer’)

data[‘category_column’] = data[‘category_column’].astype(‘category’)

# Load a subset of columns from a large dataset

selected_columns = [‘column1’, ‘column2’, ‘column3’]

data_subset = pd.read_csv(‘large_data.csv’, usecols=selected_columns)

These examples demonstrate more advanced techniques for handling datetime data, text data, large datasets, reshaping data, and optimizing memory usage. They highlight some of the powerful features that pandas provide for complex data analysis tasks.

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