Creating Filled Areas Under a Line Between Two X Values in Matplotlib
Fill Area Under Line Between Two X Values in Matplotlib
In the world of data visualization, Matplotlib stands out as a powerful tool for creating static, interactive, and animated visualizations in Python. One of the common tasks in data analysis is to fill the area under a line between two specific x-values. This technique is particularly useful when you want to highlight certain regions of interest or to visualize the area under a curve in a more intuitive way. In this article, we will explore how to fill the area under a line between two x-values using Matplotlib.
To achieve this, we can use the `fill_between` function provided by Matplotlib. This function allows us to draw a filled area between two x-values, with the y-values specified for the start and end of the area. By defining the line’s y-values for the start and end points, we can create a shaded region that represents the area under the line between those two x-values.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to fill the area under a line between two x-values in Matplotlib:
1. Import the necessary libraries:
“`python
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
“`
2. Generate the x and y data for the line:
“`python
x = np.linspace(0, 10, 100)
y = np.sin(x)
“`
3. Plot the line:
“`python
plt.plot(x, y)
“`
4. Define the start and end x-values for the area you want to fill:
“`python
start_x = 2
end_x = 5
“`
5. Fill the area under the line between the specified x-values:
“`python
plt.fill_between(x, y, where=(x >= start_x) & (x <= end_x), color='skyblue', alpha=0.5)
```
6. Customize the plot (optional):
```python
plt.title('Filled Area Under Line Between Two X Values')
plt.xlabel('X-axis')
plt.ylabel('Y-axis')
plt.grid(True)
```
7. Display the plot:
```python
plt.show()
```
In the above code, we first import the required libraries. Then, we generate a set of x-values using `np.linspace` and calculate the corresponding y-values using the sine function. We plot the line using `plt.plot`.
Next, we define the start and end x-values for the area we want to fill. The `plt.fill_between` function is then used to create the filled area, where the `where` parameter ensures that the area is only filled between the specified x-values. We set the color of the filled area to 'skyblue' and adjust the transparency using the `alpha` parameter.
Finally, we customize the plot with a title, labels, and grid, and display the plot using `plt.show()`.
By following these steps, you can easily fill the area under a line between two x-values in Matplotlib, making your visualizations more informative and visually appealing.
