Apply function to a specific column

Question

Let's say I have some data:

data={{a1,b1},{a2,b2},{a3,b3},{a4,b4},...}

and I would like to apply the function:

f1[x_]=x*5 to every a_i element.

How can I do this?

The best solution I've found so far is to do:

MapAt[f1, data, {{1, 1}, {2, 1}, {3, 1}, {4, 1}...}]

Up to the length of my data, but I'm sure there's a more efficient solution for this.

Map[Apply[{f[#1], ##2} &], data], if you insist... but J.M.'s approach is best. — Emilio Pisanty, May 24 '16 at 16:44
Transpose@{f1[#1], #2} & @@ Transpose@data If your f1 is Listable (and yours is ) that can give you significant speed increase. — BlacKow, May 24 '16 at 16:50

ubpdqn · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-25 02:24:30Z

8

There are a number of ways (if I understand aim),e.g.:

lst = data = {{a1, b1}, {a2, b2}, {a3, b3}, {a4, b4}};
lst /. {x_, y_} :> {f[x], y}
MapAt[f, lst, {All, 1}]
{f@#1, #2} & @@@ lst

answered May 25 '16 at 2:24

ubpdqn

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$\begingroup$ Whenever I do one of these solutions I get the resulting list $ {{a1,{b1}},{a2,{b2}},etc.}}$. How do I remove the resulting list around the second element? $\endgroup$
– Ely Eastman
Apr 24 '20 at 14:48
$\begingroup$ @ElyEastman what input are you using. The code applies function to first part of each element $\endgroup$
– ubpdqn
Apr 25 '20 at 4:48
$\begingroup$ I realized I was using an incorrect input for my function. It was dividing by a list element, which would encapsulate bi in a list. $\endgroup$
– Ely Eastman
Apr 26 '20 at 0:06

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