def min_scalar_type(a):
    """
    min_scalar_type(a)

    For scalar ``a``, returns the data type with the smallest size
    and smallest scalar kind which can hold its value.  For non-scalar
    array ``a``, returns the vector's dtype unmodified.

    Floating point values are not demoted to integers,
    and complex values are not demoted to floats.

    Parameters
    ----------
    a : scalar or array_like
        The value whose minimal data type is to be found.

    Returns
    -------
    out : dtype
        The minimal data type.

    Notes
    -----
    .. versionadded:: 1.6.0

    See Also
    --------
    result_type, promote_types, dtype, can_cast

    Examples
    --------
    >>> np.min_scalar_type(10)
    dtype('uint8')

    >>> np.min_scalar_type(-260)
    dtype('int16')

    >>> np.min_scalar_type(3.1)
    dtype('float16')

    >>> np.min_scalar_type(1e50)
    dtype('float64')

    >>> np.min_scalar_type(np.arange(4,dtype='f8'))
    dtype('float64')

    """
    return (a,)