Seaborn style with Matplotlib - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

What is the output of this code using Seaborn style?

Consider this Python code that uses Matplotlib with Seaborn style applied. What will be the color of the plotted line?

Matplotlib

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.style.use('seaborn-darkgrid')
plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6])
plt.gca().lines[0].get_color()

A '#ff7f0e'

B '#d62728'

C '#2ca02c'

D '#1f77b4'

💡 Hint

Seaborn's default color palette starts with a specific blue color for the first line.

When using 'seaborn-darkgrid' style, the first line color defaults to '#1f77b4', a blue shade from the default color cycle.

❓ data_output

intermediate

How many grid lines are visible with Seaborn style?

Using the 'seaborn-whitegrid' style, a plot is created with default ticks. How many horizontal grid lines will be visible on the y-axis?

Matplotlib

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.style.use('seaborn-whitegrid')
fig, ax = plt.subplots()
ax.plot([0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 4])
ax.yaxis.get_gridlines()
len([line for line in ax.yaxis.get_gridlines() if line.get_visible()])

A 6

B 5

C 4

D 7

💡 Hint

Count the visible horizontal grid lines generated by default y-axis ticks in Seaborn whitegrid style.

The default y-axis ticks create 5 visible horizontal grid lines in 'seaborn-whitegrid' style.

❓ visualization

advanced

Identify the style used from the plot appearance

Below is a description of a plot's appearance. Which Seaborn style was used with Matplotlib?

• Background is light gray
• Grid lines are white and visible
• Axes spines are thin and gray
• Lines use a pastel color palette

A 'seaborn-muted'

B 'seaborn-dark'

C 'seaborn-ticks'

D 'seaborn-poster'

💡 Hint

Think about which Seaborn style uses pastel colors and a light gray background with white grid lines.

'seaborn-muted' style uses a light gray background, white grid lines, thin gray spines, and pastel colors for lines.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why does this code not apply Seaborn style correctly?

Examine this code snippet. It tries to apply Seaborn style to a Matplotlib plot but the plot looks like default Matplotlib style. What is the reason?

Matplotlib

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6])
plt.style.use('seaborn-darkgrid')
plt.show()

A Matplotlib does not support Seaborn styles directly.

B The style name 'seaborn-darkgrid' is invalid and ignored.

C Style is applied after plotting, so it has no effect on the plot.

D The plot command is missing a color argument to show style.

💡 Hint

Consider when styles must be set relative to plotting commands.

Matplotlib styles must be set before plotting commands to affect the plot appearance. Here, style is set after plotting, so it does not apply.

🚀 Application

expert

Combine Seaborn style with custom Matplotlib settings

You want to use the 'seaborn-dark' style but change the grid line color to red and line width to 2 for all plots in your script. Which code snippet achieves this correctly?

A

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.style.use('seaborn-dark')
plt.rcParams['grid.color'] = 'red'
plt.rcParams['grid.linewidth'] = 2

B

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.rcParams['grid.color'] = 'red'
plt.rcParams['grid.linewidth'] = 2
plt.style.use('seaborn-dark')

C

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.style.use('seaborn-dark')
plt.setp(plt.gca().gridlines, color='red', linewidth=2)

D

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.style.use('seaborn-dark')
plt.grid(color='red', linewidth=2)

💡 Hint

Think about the order of applying style and setting rcParams for global effect.

Setting rcParams after applying style overrides the style settings globally. Setting rcParams before style will be overridden by the style. plt.grid() affects only current plot, not global settings.

Practice

1. What does using plt.style.use('seaborn') do in Matplotlib?

easy

A. It resets all plot settings to Matplotlib defaults.

B. It changes the plot style to look like Seaborn's default theme.

C. It imports the Seaborn library for plotting.

D. It saves the current plot as a Seaborn file.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand plt.style.use function

   This function sets the style for all plots that follow.

2. Step 2: Recognize 'seaborn' style effect

   Using 'seaborn' applies Seaborn's visual theme to Matplotlib plots.

3. Final Answer:

   It changes the plot style to look like Seaborn's default theme. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Seaborn style = changes plot look [OK]

Hint: Remember: plt.style.use sets the plot's visual theme [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it imports Seaborn library
• Confusing style setting with saving files
• Assuming it resets to default Matplotlib style

2. Which of the following is the correct way to apply the Seaborn style in Matplotlib?

easy

A. style.use.plt('seaborn')

B. plt.style('seaborn')

C. plt.use.style('seaborn')

D. plt.style.use('seaborn')

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the correct syntax for style setting

   The correct method is plt.style.use with the style name as a string.

2. Step 2: Check each option's syntax

   Only plt.style.use('seaborn') matches the correct syntax: plt.style.use('seaborn').

3. Final Answer:

   plt.style.use('seaborn') -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Correct syntax = plt.style.use('seaborn') [OK]

Hint: Use plt.style.use('style_name') to set plot style [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using plt.style('seaborn') without .use
• Mixing order of style and use
• Incorrect method names or argument order

3. What will be the output style of the plot after running this code?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.style.use('seaborn-darkgrid')
plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6])
plt.show()

medium

A. A plot with a white background and grid lines.

B. A plot with a white background and no grid lines.

C. A plot with default Matplotlib style and no grid.

D. A plot with bright colors but no grid lines.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand 'seaborn-darkgrid' style

   This style applies a white background with visible grid lines.

2. Step 2: Analyze the plot appearance

   Since plt.style.use('seaborn-darkgrid') is set, the plot will have a white background and grid lines.

3. Final Answer:

   A plot with a white background and grid lines. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   seaborn-darkgrid = white background + grid [OK]

Hint: Remember 'darkgrid' means white background with grids [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming no grid lines appear
• Confusing darkgrid with dark background styles
• Expecting default Matplotlib style

4. Identify the error in this code snippet that tries to apply Seaborn style:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.style.use(seaborn)
plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [3, 2, 1])
plt.show()

medium

A. plt.show() is missing parentheses.

B. plt.style.use cannot be used before plt.plot.

C. Missing quotes around 'seaborn' in plt.style.use.

D. plt.plot requires two lists of equal length.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the argument passed to plt.style.use

   The style name must be a string, so it needs quotes around 'seaborn'.

2. Step 2: Verify other parts of the code

   plt.plot has correct lists, plt.show() has parentheses, and style can be set before plotting.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing quotes around 'seaborn' in plt.style.use. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Style name must be a string [OK]

Hint: Always put style names in quotes in plt.style.use [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting quotes around style name
• Thinking plt.show() needs no parentheses
• Believing style must be set after plotting

5. You want to create a Matplotlib plot with Seaborn's 'whitegrid' style but only for one plot without affecting others. Which code snippet achieves this?

hard

A. with plt.style.context('seaborn-whitegrid'):
plt.plot(x, y)
plt.show()

B. plt.style.use('seaborn-whitegrid')
plt.plot(x, y)

C. plt.style.context('seaborn-whitegrid')
plt.plot(x, y)
plt.show()

D. plt.style.use('seaborn-whitegrid')
plt.plot(x, y)
plt.style.reset()

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand style context usage

   Using plt.style.context applies a style temporarily within the with block.

2. Step 2: Check each option for temporary style application

   with plt.style.context('seaborn-whitegrid'): plt.plot(x, y) plt.show() uses with plt.style.context('seaborn-whitegrid') to apply style only to that plot.

3. Final Answer:

   with plt.style.context('seaborn-whitegrid'): plt.plot(x, y) plt.show() -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use plt.style.context for temporary style [OK]

Hint: Use with plt.style.context for one-time style [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using plt.style.use without resetting style
• Calling plt.style.context without with statement
• Assuming plt.style.reset() exists