Fuel efficiency difference cost

I recently was car shopping, and I had the question about gas mileage: "How much does, say, the difference between 25 mpg and 30 mpg cost?"

To answer this question, I did a bit of analysis using IPython Notebook...

Goal

• To find how much different fuel efficiencies cost in terms of dollars per year.
• I want to estimate this value for the next 10 or so years.

Assumptions

• I'm estimating the average price per gallon of gas (over the next 10 years) to be $4.50. It is around$3.60 now, I adjusted for inflation, and counter-adjusted for the time-value of money.
• I'm estimating that we will drive about 14,000 miles per year (based on the last 3 years).

Data

In [1]:
price_per_gallon = 4 ...

How To Draw Lines With Matplotlib

Simple example to show how to draw lines with Matplotlib (in IPython Notebook).

ipython notebook --pylab inline


In [5]:
import matplotlib.lines as lines
fig, ax = plt.subplots()

fig.set_size_inches(6,6)          # Make graph square
scatter([-0.1],[-0.1],s=0.01)     # Move graph window a little left and down

line1 = [(0,0), (1,0)]
line2 = [(0,0), (0,1)]

# Note that the Line2D takes a list of x values and a list of y values,
# not 2 points as one might expect.  So we have to convert our points
# an x-list and a y-list.
(line1_xs, line1_ys) = zip(*line1)
(line2_xs, line2_ys) = zip(*line2)

plot()
show()


IPython Notebook on a VPS

Overview

This is a guide to set up IPython Notebook on a Server - specifically, on a DigitalOcean VPS. This will allow you to access your iPython Notebooks from anywhere.

Overview of Steps:

• Set up a domain name
• Get a VPS
• Install IPython Notebook (and all dependencies)
• Configure IPython Notebook to run in a server mode
• Make IPython Notebook start automatically

Create a domain

Go to http://freedns.afraid.org and click "Setup an account here" Go through the signup form Click on the activation link they send to your email This will bring you back to their site; Click the link you see there called "Add a subdomain" Here is how I filled out the form:

Notes:

• Leave the Destination alone for now, and leave the ...

Big graphs in IPython Notebook

I've been doing a good bit of graphing in IPython Notebook recently, and I often wanted to make the graphs larger. I also often wanted to label the graph axes. So I wrote this simple function and have been using it a lot.

# Graphing helper function
def setup_graph(title='', x_label='', y_label='', fig_size=None):
fig = plt.figure()
if fig_size != None:
fig.set_size_inches(fig_size[0], fig_size[1])
ax.set_title(title)
ax.set_xlabel(x_label)
ax.set_ylabel(y_label)


Here's a demo of using it...

In [27]:
x = linspace(0, 2 * pi, 1000)
y = 5 * sin(1 * 2*pi*x) + 4 * sin(2 * 2*pi*x)


Without setup_graph()

In [24]:
_ = plot(x, y)


How to graph with IPython Notebook

IPython Notebook / Matplotlib / Pylab / Numpy is great for graphing (among other things). Below is a simple demo of how to graph with it.

To run IPython Notebook, use this command: ipython notebook --pylab inline

Here's a screenshot:

Here's an embedded IPython Notebook showing a slightly easier way:

In [5]:
x = linspace(0, 2*pi, 42)
f1 = 5 * sin(x)
f2 = 2 * sin(2*x)
f3 = 1 * sin(3*x)
plot(x, f1)
plot(x, f2, 'ro')
plot(x, f3, 'g--')
show()


First look at Pylab/Matplotlib

Since I've been getting into Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence recently, I've been looking at various computing environments recently. Some of the contenders are:

• MATLAB - The traditional software stack for doing machine learning and statistical analysis
• GNU Octave - An open-source MATLAB clone.
• R - An open source clone of a statistical computing environment called S.
• Julia - A language for doing statistical analysis. The goals are to compete with Matlab and R.
• Matplotlib/Pylab/SciPy/NumPy - see below

Of these, I've tried Octave and Matplotlib. Matplotlib/Pylab is the software stack consisting of:

• IPython - an interactive REPL for Python with things like tab completion
• Matplotlib - a graphical plotting library
• NumPy - a matrix library
• SciPy - a collection of scientific and mathematical algorithms

I've only played with Matplotlib/Pylab ...