[Term Entry] Python matplotlib - pyplot: xlim()

content/matplotlib/concepts/pyplot/terms/xlim/xlim.md

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+---
+Title: '.xlim()'
+Description: 'Gets or sets the x-axis limits of the current axes in a Matplotlib plot.'
+Subjects:
+  - 'Data Science'
+  - 'Data Visualization'
+Tags:
+  - 'Functions'
+  - 'Matplotlib'
+  - 'Subplots'
+CatalogContent:
+  - 'learn-python-3'
+  - 'paths/data-science'
+---
+
+The **`.xlim()`** function in `matplotlib.pyplot` is used to get or set the x-axis limits of the current plot. It helps control the visible range of data on the x-axis, zoom in on specific sections, or maintain consistent axis ranges across multiple plots.
+
+The primary use cases for `.xlim()` include:
+
+- Focusing on a particular range of x-values.
+- Maintaining consistent axis scaling between multiple plots.
+- Preventing automatic resizing that hides important data.
+
+## Syntax
+
+```pseudo
+matplotlib.pyplot.xlim(*args, **kwargs)
+```
+
+**Parameters:**
+
+The function accepts the following keyword arguments:
+
+- `left` or `xmin` (float, optional): Lower limit of the x-axis.
+- `right` or `xmax` (float, optional): Upper limit of the x-axis.
+- `emit` (bool, default: True): Whether observers are notified of the axis limit change (default: True).
+- `auto` (bool, default: True): If `True`, turns on automatic scaling.
+
+**Return value:**
+
+The `.xlim()` function returns a tuple (xmin, xmax) representing the current x-axis limits.
+
+## Example 1: Setting Custom X-Axis Limits
+
+This example shows how to set specific x-axis limits using `.xlim()`:
+
+```py
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import numpy as np
+
+x = np.linspace(0, 20, 100)
+y = np.sin(x)
+
+plt.plot(x, y, color='purple', linewidth=2)
+plt.title('Sine Wave with Custom X Limits')
+plt.xlabel('X')
+plt.ylabel('sin(x)')
+
+# Set x-axis limits
+plt.xlim(0, 10)
+
+plt.grid(True)
+plt.show()
+```
+
+The output generated by this code will be:
+
+![Line plot showing sine wave with limited x-axis range](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Codecademy/docs/main/media/xlim-Plot-1.png)
+
+This code plots a sine wave from 0 to 20 on the x-axis, but the `plt.xlim(0, 10)` command restricts the visible range to data between x = 0 and x = 10. As a result, only the first half of the sine wave is displayed. The curve appears smooth and purple, with grid lines and labeled axes for clarity.
+
+## Example 2: Getting Current X-Axis Limits
+
+Calling `.xlim()` without arguments retrieves the current x-axis limits:
+
+```py
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+
+plt.plot([0, 1, 2, 3], [10, 20, 25, 30])
+print(plt.xlim())  # Outputs current x-axis limits
+plt.show()
+```
+
+The output generated by this code will be:
+
+![Line plot of points (0,10), (1,20), (2,25), (3,30) with automatically determined x-axis limits](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Codecademy/docs/main/media/xlim-Plot-2.png)
+
+In this case, the output is:
+
+```shell
+(np.float64(-0.15), np.float64(3.15))
+```
+
+This indicates that Matplotlib automatically adds a small margin around the plotted points for better visualization. The `.xlim()` function can also be applied after plotting to dynamically adjust the x-axis limits, as demonstrated in Example 1.