numpy.minimum() in Python (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 19 Dec, 2025

numpy.minimum() is a NumPy function that compares two arrays (or scalars) element-wise and returns a new array containing the minimum value at each position. If either element is NaN, that NaN is returned. If both are NaN, the first one is returned.

**Example: This example shows how numpy.minimum() compares two numbers and returns the smaller one.

Python `

import numpy as np

a = 10 b = 21 print(np.minimum(a, b))

`

Syntax

numpy.minimum(arr1, arr2, /, out=None, *, where=True, casting='same_kind', order='K', dtype=None)

**Parameters:

• **arr1: First input array (or scalar).
• **arr2: Second input array (or scalar).
• **out: Optional array to store output.
• **where: Boolean mask; only True positions are computed.
• **dtype (optional): Data type of output.
• **casting / order: Controls casting and memory layout (advanced use).

**Note on / and *
/ -> parameters before it are positional-only.
* -> parameters after it are keyword-only.

Examples of numpy.minimun()

**Example 1: This example compares two 1D arrays element-wise and returns the minimum of each pair.

Python `

import numpy as np

a = np.array([2, 8, 125]) b = np.array([3, 3, 15]) print(np.minimum(a, b))

`

**Explanation: np.minimum(a1, a2), min(2, 3) -> 2, min(8, 3) -> 3 and min(125, 15) -> 15

**Example 2: This example shows how numpy.minimum() behaves when NaN values are present in the arrays.

Python `

import numpy as np

a = np.array([np.nan, 0, np.nan]) b = np.array([np.nan, np.nan, 0]) print(np.minimum(a, b))

`

**Explanation:

• When one side is np.nan, the result becomes np.nan.
• When both are np.nan, the first np.nan is returned.

**Example 3: This example compares arrays of different shapes using broadcasting and finds element-wise minimum values.

Python `

import numpy as np

a = np.array([[4, 7, 9], [1, 5, 8]]) b = np.array([3, 6, 10]) print(np.minimum(a, b))

`

**Explanation:

• a2 is broadcast across each row.
• np.minimum(a1, a2) compares each column pair.