[python] Python element-wise tuple operations like sum

Is there anyway to get tuple operations in Python to work like this:

>>> a = (1,2,3)
>>> b = (3,2,1)
>>> a + b
(4,4,4)

instead of:

>>> a = (1,2,3)
>>> b = (3,2,1)
>>> a + b
(1,2,3,3,2,1)

I know it works like that because the __add__ and __mul__ methods are defined to work like that. So the only way would be to redefine them?

This question is related to python tuples

The answer is


even simpler and without using map, you can do that

>>> tuple(sum(i) for i in zip((1, 2, 3), (3, 2, 1)))
(4, 4, 4)

Sort of combined the first two answers, with a tweak to ironfroggy's code so that it returns a tuple:

import operator

class stuple(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
        return self.__class__(map(operator.add, self, other))
        # obviously leaving out checking lengths

>>> a = stuple([1,2,3])
>>> b = stuple([3,2,1])
>>> a + b
(4, 4, 4)

Note: using self.__class__ instead of stuple to ease subclassing.


from numpy import array

a = array( [1,2,3] )
b = array( [3,2,1] )

print a + b

gives array([4,4,4]).

See http://www.scipy.org/Tentative_NumPy_Tutorial


Sort of combined the first two answers, with a tweak to ironfroggy's code so that it returns a tuple:

import operator

class stuple(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
        return self.__class__(map(operator.add, self, other))
        # obviously leaving out checking lengths

>>> a = stuple([1,2,3])
>>> b = stuple([3,2,1])
>>> a + b
(4, 4, 4)

Note: using self.__class__ instead of stuple to ease subclassing.


even simpler and without using map, you can do that

>>> tuple(sum(i) for i in zip((1, 2, 3), (3, 2, 1)))
(4, 4, 4)

Using all built-ins..

tuple(map(sum, zip(a, b)))

Sort of combined the first two answers, with a tweak to ironfroggy's code so that it returns a tuple:

import operator

class stuple(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
        return self.__class__(map(operator.add, self, other))
        # obviously leaving out checking lengths

>>> a = stuple([1,2,3])
>>> b = stuple([3,2,1])
>>> a + b
(4, 4, 4)

Note: using self.__class__ instead of stuple to ease subclassing.


from numpy import array

a = array( [1,2,3] )
b = array( [3,2,1] )

print a + b

gives array([4,4,4]).

See http://www.scipy.org/Tentative_NumPy_Tutorial


Here is another handy solution if you are already using numpy. It is compact and the addition operation can be replaced by any numpy expression.

import numpy as np
tuple(np.array(a) + b)

Yes. But you can't redefine built-in types. You have to subclass them:

class MyTuple(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
         if len(self) != len(other):
             raise ValueError("tuple lengths don't match")
         return MyTuple(x + y for (x, y) in zip(self, other))

Here is another handy solution if you are already using numpy. It is compact and the addition operation can be replaced by any numpy expression.

import numpy as np
tuple(np.array(a) + b)

In case someone need to average a list of tuples:

import operator 
from functools import reduce
tuple(reduce(lambda x, y: tuple(map(operator.add, x, y)),list_of_tuples))

All generator solution. Not sure on performance (itertools is fast, though)

import itertools
tuple(x+y for x, y in itertools.izip(a,b))

Yes. But you can't redefine built-in types. You have to subclass them:

class MyTuple(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
         if len(self) != len(other):
             raise ValueError("tuple lengths don't match")
         return MyTuple(x + y for (x, y) in zip(self, other))

Generator comprehension could be used instead of map. Built-in map function is not obsolete but it's less readable for most people than list/generator/dict comprehension, so I'd recommend not to use map function in general.

tuple(p+q for p, q in zip(a, b))

I currently subclass the "tuple" class to overload +,- and *. I find it makes the code beautiful and writing the code easier.

class tupleN(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
        if len(self) != len(other):
             return NotImplemented
        else:
             return tupleN(x+y for x,y in zip(self,other))
    def __sub__(self, other):
        if len(self) != len(other):
             return NotImplemented
        else:
             return tupleN(x-y for x,y in zip(self,other))
    def __mul__(self, other):
        if len(self) != len(other):
             return NotImplemented
        else:
             return tupleN(x*y for x,y in zip(self,other))


t1 = tupleN((1,3,3))
t2 = tupleN((1,3,4))
print(t1 + t2, t1 - t2, t1 * t2, t1 + t1 - t1 - t1)
(2, 6, 7) (0, 0, -1) (1, 9, 12) (0, 0, 0)

Yes. But you can't redefine built-in types. You have to subclass them:

class MyTuple(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
         if len(self) != len(other):
             raise ValueError("tuple lengths don't match")
         return MyTuple(x + y for (x, y) in zip(self, other))

This solution doesn't require an import:

tuple(map(lambda x, y: x + y, tuple1, tuple2))

In case someone need to average a list of tuples:

import operator 
from functools import reduce
tuple(reduce(lambda x, y: tuple(map(operator.add, x, y)),list_of_tuples))

Using all built-ins..

tuple(map(sum, zip(a, b)))

Yes. But you can't redefine built-in types. You have to subclass them:

class MyTuple(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
         if len(self) != len(other):
             raise ValueError("tuple lengths don't match")
         return MyTuple(x + y for (x, y) in zip(self, other))

I currently subclass the "tuple" class to overload +,- and *. I find it makes the code beautiful and writing the code easier.

class tupleN(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
        if len(self) != len(other):
             return NotImplemented
        else:
             return tupleN(x+y for x,y in zip(self,other))
    def __sub__(self, other):
        if len(self) != len(other):
             return NotImplemented
        else:
             return tupleN(x-y for x,y in zip(self,other))
    def __mul__(self, other):
        if len(self) != len(other):
             return NotImplemented
        else:
             return tupleN(x*y for x,y in zip(self,other))


t1 = tupleN((1,3,3))
t2 = tupleN((1,3,4))
print(t1 + t2, t1 - t2, t1 * t2, t1 + t1 - t1 - t1)
(2, 6, 7) (0, 0, -1) (1, 9, 12) (0, 0, 0)

Using all built-ins..

tuple(map(sum, zip(a, b)))

simple solution without class definition that returns tuple

import operator
tuple(map(operator.add,a,b))

Sort of combined the first two answers, with a tweak to ironfroggy's code so that it returns a tuple:

import operator

class stuple(tuple):
    def __add__(self, other):
        return self.__class__(map(operator.add, self, other))
        # obviously leaving out checking lengths

>>> a = stuple([1,2,3])
>>> b = stuple([3,2,1])
>>> a + b
(4, 4, 4)

Note: using self.__class__ instead of stuple to ease subclassing.


All generator solution. Not sure on performance (itertools is fast, though)

import itertools
tuple(x+y for x, y in itertools.izip(a,b))

simple solution without class definition that returns tuple

import operator
tuple(map(operator.add,a,b))

Generator comprehension could be used instead of map. Built-in map function is not obsolete but it's less readable for most people than list/generator/dict comprehension, so I'd recommend not to use map function in general.

tuple(p+q for p, q in zip(a, b))

from numpy import array

a = array( [1,2,3] )
b = array( [3,2,1] )

print a + b

gives array([4,4,4]).

See http://www.scipy.org/Tentative_NumPy_Tutorial


This solution doesn't require an import:

tuple(map(lambda x, y: x + y, tuple1, tuple2))