What is NumPy?
NumPy (short for numerical Python) is an open source Python library for scientific computing. It lets you work with arrays and matrices in a natural way. The library contains a long list of useful mathematical functions, including some functions for linear algebra, Fourier transformation, and random number generation routines. LAPACK, a linear algebra library, is used by the NumPy linear algebra module if you have it installed on your system. Otherwise, NumPy provides its own implementation. LAPACK is a well-known library, originally written in Fortran, on which MATLAB relies as well. In a way, NumPy replaces some of the functionality of MATLAB and Mathematica, allowing rapid interactive prototyping.
We will not be discussing NumPy from a developing contributor's perspective, but from more of a user's perspective. NumPy is a very active project and has a lot of contributors. Maybe, one day you will be one of them!