[Numpy-tickets] [NumPy] #435: numpy.mean(): accumulator default type should not be single precision

[NumPy]

#435: numpy.mean(): accumulator default type should not be single precision
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 Reporter:  chanley     |       Owner:  somebody
     Type:  defect      |      Status:  new     
 Priority:  normal      |   Milestone:          
Component:  numpy.core  |     Version:  devel   
 Severity:  normal      |    Keywords:          
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 The accumulator used in the mean algorithm should not be single precision
 by default.  This default can cause unexpected results.  Please see the
 following example:

 {{{
 In [5]: a.dtype
 Out[5]: dtype('>f4')

 In [6]: print a
 [[ 132.  132.  132. ...,  132.  132.  132.]
  [ 132.  132.  132. ...,  132.  132.  132.]
  [ 132.  132.  132. ...,  132.  132.  132.]
  ...,
  [ 132.  132.  132. ...,  132.  132.  132.]
  [ 132.  132.  132. ...,  132.  132.  132.]
  [ 132.  132.  132. ...,  132.  132.  132.]]

 In [7]: a.min()
 Out[7]: 132.0

 In [8]: a.max()
 Out[8]: 389.0

 In [9]: a.mean()
 Out[9]: 129.742439153
 }}}

 However, if you recast the array as float64 you get the correct result:
 {{{
 In [11]: a.astype(numpy.float64).mean()
 Out[11]: 132.062805059
 }}}

 I believe that double precision would be a more appropriate default type
 for the accumulator.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/numpy/ticket/435>
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