Pandas: Apply a function to single or selected columns or rows in Dataframe

In this article we will discuss different ways to apply a given function to selected columns or rows.

Suppose we have a dataframe object i.e.

# List of Tuples
matrix = [(22, 34, 23),
         (33, 31, 11),
         (44, 16, 21),
         (55, 32, 22),
         (66, 33, 27),
         (77, 35, 11)
         ]

# Create a DataFrame object
dfObj = pd.DataFrame(matrix, columns=list('xyz'), index=list('abcdef'))

Contents of the dataframe object dfObj are,

Original Dataframe
    x   y   z
a  22  34  23
b  33  31  11
c  44  16  21
d  55  32  22
e  66  33  27
f  77  35  11

Now if we want to call / apply a function on all the elements of a single or multiple columns or rows ? For example,

• Multiply all the values in column ‘x’ by 2
• Multiply all the values in row ‘c’ by 10
• Add 10 in all the values in column ‘y’ & ‘z’

Let’s see how to do that using different techniques,

Apply a function to a single column in Dataframe

Suppose we want to square all the values in column ‘z’ for above created dataframe object dfObj. We can do that using different methods i.e.

Method 1 : Using Dataframe.apply()

Apply a lambda function to all the columns in dataframe using Dataframe.apply() and inside this lambda function check if column name is ‘z’ then square all the values in it i.e.

# Apply function numpy.square() to square the value one column only i.e. with column name 'z'
modDfObj = dfObj.apply(lambda x: np.square(x) if x.name == 'z' else x)

print("Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in column 'z'", modDfObj, sep='\n')

Output:

Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in column 'z'
    x   y    z
a  22  34  529
b  33  31  121
c  44  16  441
d  55  32  484
e  66  33  729
f  77  35  121

There are 2 other ways to achieve the same effect i.e.

Method 2 : Using [] Operator

Select the column from dataframe as series using [] operator and apply numpy.square() method on it. Then assign it back to column i.e.

# Apply a function to one column and assign it back to the column in dataframe
dfObj['z'] = dfObj['z'].apply(np.square)

It will basically square all the values in column ‘z’

Method 3 : Using numpy.square()

# Method 3:
# Apply a function to one column and assign it back to the column in dataframe
dfObj['z'] = np.square(dfObj['z'])

It will also square all the values in column ‘z’

Apply a function to a single row in Dataframe

Suppose we want to square all the values in row ‘b’ for above created dataframe object dfObj. We can do that using different methods i.e.

Method 1 : Using Dataframe.apply()

Apply a lambda function to all the rows in dataframe using Dataframe.apply() and inside this lambda function check if row index label is ‘b’ then square all the values in it i.e.

# Apply function numpy.square() to square the values of one row only i.e. row with index name 'b'
modDfObj = dfObj.apply(lambda x: np.square(x) if x.name == 'b' else x, axis=1)

print("Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in row 'b'", modDfObj, sep='\n')

Output:

Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in row 'b'
      x    y    z
a    22   34   23
b  1089  961  121
c    44   16   21
d    55   32   22
e    66   33   27
f    77   35   11

There are 2 other ways to achieve the same effect i.e.

Method 2 : Using [] Operator

Select the row from dataframe as series using dataframe.loc[] operator and apply numpy.square() method on it. Then assign it back to row i.e.

# Apply a function to one row and assign it back to the row in dataframe
dfObj.loc['b'] = dfObj.loc['b'].apply(np.square)

It will basically square all the values in row ‘b’

Method 3 : Using numpy.square()

# Apply a function to one row and assign it back to the column in dataframe
dfObj.loc['b'] = np.square(dfObj.loc['b'])

It will also square all the values in row ‘b’.

Apply a function to a certain columns in Dataframe

We can apply a given function to only specified columns too. For example square the values in column ‘x’ & ‘y’ i.e.

# Apply function numpy.square() to square the value 2 column only i.e. with column names 'x' and 'y' only
modDfObj = dfObj.apply(lambda x: np.square(x) if x.name in ['x', 'y'] else x)

print("Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in column x & y :", modDfObj, sep='\n')

Output:

Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in column x & y :
      x     y   z
a   484  1156  23
b  1089   961  11
c  1936   256  21
d  3025  1024  22
e  4356  1089  27
f  5929  1225  11

Basically we just modified the if condition in lambda function and squared the values in columns with name x & y.

Apply a function to a certain rows in Dataframe

We can apply a given function to only specified rows too. For example square the values in column ‘b’ & ‘c’ i.e.

# Apply function numpy.square() to square the values of 2 rows only i.e. with row index name 'b' and 'c' only
modDfObj = dfObj.apply(lambda x: np.square(x) if x.name in ['b', 'c'] else x, axis=1)

print("Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in row b & c :", modDfObj, sep='\n')

Output:

Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in row b & c :
      x    y    z
a    22   34   23
b  1089  961  121
c  1936  256  441
d    55   32   22
e    66   33   27
f    77   35   11

Basically we just modified the if condition in lambda function and squared the values in rows with name b & c.

Complete example is as follows :

import pandas as pd
import numpy as np

def main():
    # List of Tuples
    matrix = [(22, 34, 23),
             (33, 31, 11),
             (44, 16, 21),
             (55, 32, 22),
             (66, 33, 27),
             (77, 35, 11)
             ]

    # Create a DataFrame object
    dfObj = pd.DataFrame(matrix, columns=list('xyz'), index=list('abcdef'))

    print("Original Dataframe", dfObj, sep='\n')

    print('********* Apply a function to a single row or column in DataFrame ********')

    print('*** Apply a function to a single column *** ')

    # Method 1:
    # Apply function numpy.square() to square the value one column only i.e. with column name 'z'
    modDfObj = dfObj.apply(lambda x: np.square(x) if x.name == 'z' else x)

    print("Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in column 'z'", modDfObj, sep='\n')

    # Method 2:
    # Apply a function to one column and assign it back to the column in dataframe
    dfObj['z'] = dfObj['z'].apply(np.square)

    # Method 3:
    # Apply a function to one column and assign it back to the column in dataframe
    dfObj['z'] = np.square(dfObj['z'])


    print('*** Apply a function to a single row *** ')

    dfObj = pd.DataFrame(matrix, columns=list('xyz'), index=list('abcdef'))

    # Method 1:
    # Apply function numpy.square() to square the values of one row only i.e. row with index name 'b'
    modDfObj = dfObj.apply(lambda x: np.square(x) if x.name == 'b' else x, axis=1)

    print("Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in row 'b'", modDfObj, sep='\n')


    # Method 2:
    # Apply a function to one row and assign it back to the row in dataframe
    dfObj.loc['b'] = dfObj.loc['b'].apply(np.square)

    # Method 3:
    # Apply a function to one row and assign it back to the column in dataframe
    dfObj.loc['b'] = np.square(dfObj.loc['b'])



    print('********* Apply a function to certains row or column in DataFrame ********')

    dfObj = pd.DataFrame(matrix, columns=list('xyz'), index=list('abcdef'))

    print('Apply a function to certain columns only')

    # Apply function numpy.square() to square the value 2 column only i.e. with column names 'x' and 'y' only
    modDfObj = dfObj.apply(lambda x: np.square(x) if x.name in ['x', 'y'] else x)

    print("Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in column x & y :", modDfObj, sep='\n')

    print('Apply a function to certain rows only')

    # Apply function numpy.square() to square the values of 2 rows only i.e. with row index name 'b' and 'c' only
    modDfObj = dfObj.apply(lambda x: np.square(x) if x.name in ['b', 'c'] else x, axis=1)

    print("Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in row b & c :", modDfObj, sep='\n')



if __name__ == '__main__':
   main()

Output:

Original Dataframe
    x   y   z
a  22  34  23
b  33  31  11
c  44  16  21
d  55  32  22
e  66  33  27
f  77  35  11
********* Apply a function to a single row or column in DataFrame ********
*** Apply a function to a single column *** 
Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in column 'z'
    x   y    z
a  22  34  529
b  33  31  121
c  44  16  441
d  55  32  484
e  66  33  729
f  77  35  121
*** Apply a function to a single row *** 
Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in row 'b'
      x    y    z
a    22   34   23
b  1089  961  121
c    44   16   21
d    55   32   22
e    66   33   27
f    77   35   11
********* Apply a function to certains row or column in DataFrame ********
Apply a function to certain columns only
Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in column x & y :
      x     y   z
a   484  1156  23
b  1089   961  11
c  1936   256  21
d  3025  1024  22
e  4356  1089  27
f  5929  1225  11
Apply a function to certain rows only
Modified Dataframe : Squared the values in row b & c :
      x    y    z
a    22   34   23
b  1089  961  121
c  1936  256  441
d    55   32   22
e    66   33   27
f    77   35   11