How to Fix TypeError: Cannot Convert The Series to Class Float in Python?

Are you getting the “TypeError: cannot convert the series to class float” error while working on pandas series in Python?

We all know that typecasting is a helpful feature of computer programming that allows us to convert the data type from one type to another. But these conversions are limited to some extent; we can convert integer to float, float to octal, and vice versa but not strings.

Computer programming doesn’t allow us to typecast a string into other data types because strings don’t have any mathematical properties to utilize in typecasting.

In this article, we’ll discuss what is the “TypeError: cannot convert the series to <class “float”>” and how to fix it, along with practical examples. So let’s get right into the topic.

What is the “TypeError: Cannot Convert The Series to Class Float” Error in Python?

In Python, the “Type Error cannot convert the series to class float” error occurs when you try to convert a pandas series into a float, and it doesn’t allow typecasting to float. Before learning about series typecasting, first, let’s see how to do basic typecasting in Python.

Code

x = 10

print(f"The data type of {x} before typecasting is {type(x)}")

# typecast 'x' from int to 'float'

x = float(x)

print(f"The data type of {x} after typecasting is {type(x)}")

Output

The data type of 10 before typecasting is <class 'int'>

The data type of 10.0 after typecasting is <class 'float'>

As you can see, we have easily typecasted an int to a float; now let’s try some other data types.

Code

x = 342 # int

y = True # boolean

z = "String" # string





# typecast into Float

print(float(x)) 

print(float(y)) 

print(float(z)) # ValueError: could not convert string to float: 'String.'

Output

As you can see, the integer and boolean values are converted into Float, whereas the string has raised an error which indicates that we cannot convert a string into Float.

Now let’s see the pandas series:

Code

import pandas as pd


# create a pandas series 

ser = pd.Series([1,2,3,4,5,6,7])


# print the data type of the series

print(type(ser))





# typecasting

print(float(ser))

Output

In the above example, we tried to convert the series into a float which isn’t allowed to do so; hence we got the TypeError: cannot convert the series to class float.

How to Fix the “TypeError: Cannot Convert The Series to Class Float” Error in Python?

We’ve seen that it isn’t allowed to typecast a string or a series into Float. The data type of series is < class’ pandas.core.series. Series’> cannot be converted into a float; instead, we can convert the data of it or use a specified function for it.

And for typecasting a pandas series we’ll use the astype() instead of the basic int(), Float (), str(), etc.

Syntax of astype() function:

pandas_series.astype( data_type )

Code

import pandas as pd


# create a pandas series 

ser = pd.Series([1,2,3,4,5])

print("Before type casting")


print("************")

print(ser)

print("\n\nAfter type casting")





print("************")

# typecasting

print(ser.astype(float))

Output

Before type casting

************

0 1
1 2
2 3
3 4
4 5
dtype: int64


After type casting

************

0 1.0
1 2.0
2 3.0
3 4.0
4 5.0
dtype: float64

Perfect! We’ve successfully typecasted a pandas series from int to float using the astype() function.

Conclusion

To conclude this article on the TypeError: cannot convert the series to class float, we’ve discussed basic typecasting in Python. Furthermore, we’ve talked about how to typecast a pandas series in Python using the astype() function.

Brainstorming moment 💡, can we typecast some specific entities of a pandas series?