numpy.min_scalar_type

numpy.min_scalar_type(a)

For scalar a, returns the data type with the smallest size and smallest scalar kind which can hold its value. For non-scalar array a, returns the vector’s dtype unmodified.

Floating point values are not demoted to integers, and complex values are not demoted to floats.

Parameters

ascalar or array_like

The value whose minimal data type is to be found.

Returns

outdtype

The minimal data type.

See also

result_type, promote_types, dtype, can_cast

Notes

New in version 1.6.0.

Examples

>>> np.min_scalar_type(10)
dtype('uint8')

>>> np.min_scalar_type(-260)
dtype('int16')

>>> np.min_scalar_type(3.1)
dtype('float16')

>>> np.min_scalar_type(1e50)
dtype('float64')

>>> np.min_scalar_type(np.arange(4,dtype='f8'))
dtype('float64')