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Data Foundations · A little practice goes a long way.

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Combining & preparing · W28 · 8 MIN

Scale numeric columns

Compare standardisation with min–max scaling.

Exercises within this concept

  1. FollowFollow the techniqueCurrent exercise
  2. ChangeChoose a different scaling rule
  3. TransferChoose and combine

Understand the idea

A scaler learns reference values from a table, then uses them to rescale measurements. Each column is scaled separately.

Concept sketch: subtract mean, divide by standard deviationvalue246z-score−1.22501.225subtract mean, divide by standard deviation
Illustration · not the exercise output

A small example

For [10, 20, 30], MinMaxScaler returns [0, 0.5, 1]. StandardScaler puts the mean at 0 and measures distances in standard deviations.

Follow the code

Apply the idea to the supplied table. Read from top to bottom; the final line displays the result.

from sklearn.preprocessing import StandardScaler

scaler = StandardScaler()
scaler.fit_transform(df[["price", "rating"]])

What each part does

from sklearn.preprocessing import StandardScaler
Import the standardisation tool.
scaler = StandardScaler()
Create that tool and store it as scaler.
df[["price", "rating"]]
Pass a two-column table in the requested order.
scaler.fit_transform(...)
Learn each column’s mean and spread from this table, then return the scaled numbers.

Your inputs

The editable setup on the right creates df. Run executes the setup and your work from top to bottom.

Candy shop · 6 synthetic rows
candyflavourpriceratingshelf
Gummy Bearfruity1.24.1A
Choco Popchocolate2.14.6B
Mint Bitemint1.53.8A
Berry Loopfruity2.84.4B
Cocoa Cubechocolate3.44.9A
Lemon Dropfruity1.84B

Your task · Follow

  1. Using df, standardise price then rating with StandardScaler.
  2. Display a numeric array with those two columns in that order.
  3. Use fit_transform().
Hint

The scaler needs a two-dimensional selection, even for a single measurement.

Reveal solution

One way to do it. Keep any supplied setup in the editor and use this in the Your work section.

from sklearn.preprocessing import StandardScaler

scaler = StandardScaler()
scaler.fit_transform(df[["price", "rating"]])
Your task · Follow
  1. Using df, standardise price then rating with StandardScaler.
  2. Display a numeric array with those two columns in that order.
  3. Use fit_transform().

Tab: indent · Shift+Tab: outdent · Esc, then Tab: leave editor

Edit Python. Control or Command plus Enter runs it. Tab indents by four spaces. Shift plus Tab outdents. Press Escape, then Tab or Shift plus Tab to leave the editor.

Each run executes all editor code in a fresh Python session. Display a value by leaving it on the final line.

Python starts when you open a lesson.

Output

Run your code to see what Python returns.