[python] Python convert object to float

  • You can use pandas.Series.astype
  • You can do something like this :

    weather["Temp"] = weather.Temp.astype(float)
    
  • You can also use pd.to_numeric that will convert the column from object to float

  • For details on how to use it checkout this link :http://pandas.pydata.org/pandas-docs/version/0.20/generated/pandas.to_numeric.html
  • Example :

    s = pd.Series(['apple', '1.0', '2', -3])
    print(pd.to_numeric(s, errors='ignore'))
    print("=========================")
    print(pd.to_numeric(s, errors='coerce'))
    
  • Output:

    0    apple
    1      1.0
    2        2
    3       -3
    =========================
    dtype: object
    0    NaN
    1    1.0
    2    2.0
    3   -3.0
    dtype: float64
    
  • In your case you can do something like this:

    weather["Temp"] = pd.to_numeric(weather.Temp, errors='coerce')
    
  • Other option is to use convert_objects
  • Example is as follows

    >> pd.Series([1,2,3,4,'.']).convert_objects(convert_numeric=True)
    
    0     1
    1     2
    2     3
    3     4
    4   NaN
    dtype: float64
    
  • You can use this as follows:

    weather["Temp"] = weather.Temp.convert_objects(convert_numeric=True)
    
  • I have showed you examples because if any of your column won't have a number then it will be converted to NaN... so be careful while using it.