How to Create Array of zeros using NumPy in Python?

Creating an array of zeros using NumPy in Python can be done with the np.zeros() function. This function is very useful when you need an array initialized with zeros for tasks like array operations, matrix manipulations, and initializations for algorithms.

SYNTAX:

numpy.zeros(shape, dtype=float, order='C')

Parameters

• shape: An integer or tuple of integers defining the shape of the array. For example, (2, 3) means 2 rows and 3 columns.
• dtype (optional): Desired data type for the array, e.g., int, float. The default is float.
• order (optional): Specifies the memory layout of the array. 'C' (default) means C-style row-major order, and 'F' means Fortran-style column-major order.

Returns

• out: An array of zeros with the specified shape and data type.

Example Usage

Here are a few examples to illustrate how to use np.zeros():

import numpy as np

# Creating a 1D array of zeros with 5 elements
arr_1d = np.zeros(5)
print(arr_1d)
# Output: [0. 0. 0. 0. 0.]

# Creating a 2D array of zeros with 2 rows and 3 columns
arr_2d = np.zeros((2, 3))
print(arr_2d)
# Output:
# [[0. 0. 0.]
#  [0. 0. 0.]]

# Creating a 3D array of zeros with shape (2, 2, 3)
arr_3d = np.zeros((2, 2, 3))
print(arr_3d)
# Output:
# [[[0. 0. 0.]
#   [0. 0. 0.]]
#
#  [[0. 0. 0.]
#   [0. 0. 0.]]]

# Creating a 2D array of zeros with integer type
arr_int = np.zeros((2, 2), dtype=int)
print(arr_int)
# Output:
# [[0 0]
#  [0 0]]

Key Points

• np.zeros() is a convenient way to create an array where all elements are initialized to zero.
• You can specify the shape of the array using either a single integer (for 1D arrays) or a tuple of integers (for multi-dimensional arrays).
• The data type of the array elements can be controlled with the dtype parameter.
• The memory layout of the array can be controlled with the order parameter, though this is typically less commonly used unless you have specific performance considerations.

Using np.zeros() is a fundamental operation in many numerical computations and data processing tasks, providing a reliable way to initialize arrays with a predefined value of zero.