Merge branch 'improving-plt.hist-documentation'

tacaswell · tacaswell · commit 9497fadfcb8f · 2014-06-29T16:41:53.000-04:00
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -5307,8 +5307,9 @@ def hist(self, x, bins=10, range=None, normed=False, weights=None,
 
         Parameters
         ----------
-        x : array_like, shape (n, )
-            Input values.
+        x : (n,) array or sequence of (n,) arrays
+            Input values, this takes either a single array or a sequency of
+            arrays which are not required to be of the same length
 
         bins : integer or array_like, optional, default: 10
             If an integer is given, `bins + 1` bin edges are returned,
@@ -5403,8 +5404,22 @@ def hist(self, x, bins=10, range=None, normed=False, weights=None,
 
         Returns
         -------
-        tuple : ``(n, bins, patches)`` or \
-                ``([n0, n1, ...], bins, [patches0, patches1,...])``
+        n : array or list of arrays
+            The values of the histogram bins. See **normed** and **weights**
+            for a description of the possible semantics. If input **x** is an
+            array, then this is an array of length **nbins**. If input is a
+            sequence arrays ``[data1, data2,..]``, then this is a list of
+            arrays with the values of the histograms for each of the arrays
+            in the same order.
+
+        bins : array
+            The edges of the bins. Length nbins + 1 (nbins left edges and right
+            edge of last bin).  Always a single array even when multiple data
+            sets are passed in.
+
+        patches : list or list of lists
+            Silent list of individual patches used to create the histogram
+            or list of such list if multiple input datasets.
 
         Other Parameters
         ----------------
