Math.Atan Method (System)

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.NET Framework Class Library

Math.Atan Method

Returns the angle whose tangent is the specified number.

Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic

Public Shared Function Atan ( _
	d As Double _
) As Double

public static double Atan(
	double d
)

Visual C++

public:
static double Atan(
	double d
)

static member Atan : 
        d:float -> float

Parameters

d: Type: System.Double
A number representing a tangent.

Return Value

Type: System.Double
An angle, θ, measured in radians, such that -π/2 ≤ θ ≤ π/2.
-or-
NaN if d equals NaN, -π/2 rounded to double precision (-1.5707963267949) if d equals NegativeInfinity, or π/2 rounded to double precision (1.5707963267949) if d equals PositiveInfinity.

Remarks

A positive return value represents a counterclockwise angle from the x-axis; a negative return value represents a clockwise angle.

Multiply the return value by 180/Math.PI to convert from radians to degrees.

Examples

The following example demonstrates how to calculate the arctangent of a value and display it to the console.

Visual Basic


' This example demonstrates Math.Atan()
'                           Math.Atan2()
'                           Math.Tan()
Imports System

Class Sample
   Public Shared Sub Main()
      Dim x As Double = 1.0
      Dim y As Double = 2.0
      Dim angle As Double
      Dim radians As Double
      Dim result As Double

      ' Calculate the tangent of 30 degrees.
      angle = 30
      radians = angle *(Math.PI / 180)
      result = Math.Tan(radians)
      Console.WriteLine("The tangent of 30 degrees is {0}.", result)

      ' Calculate the arctangent of the previous tangent.
      radians = Math.Atan(result)
      angle = radians *(180 / Math.PI)
      Console.WriteLine("The previous tangent is equivalent to {0} degrees.", angle)

      ' Calculate the arctangent of an angle.
      Dim line1 As [String] = "{0}The arctangent of the angle formed by the x-axis and "
      Dim line2 As [String] = "a vector to point ({0},{1}) is {2}, "
      Dim line3 As [String] = "which is equivalent to {0} degrees."

      radians = Math.Atan2(y, x)
      angle = radians *(180 / Math.PI)

      Console.WriteLine(line1, Environment.NewLine)
      Console.WriteLine(line2, x, y, radians)
      Console.WriteLine(line3, angle)
   End Sub 'Main
End Class 'Sample
'
'This example produces the following results:
'
'The tangent of 30 degrees is 0.577350269189626.
'The previous tangent is equivalent to 30 degrees.
'
'The arctangent of the angle formed by the x-axis and
'a vector to point (1,2) is 1.10714871779409,
'which is equivalent to 63.434948822922 degrees.
'


// This example demonstrates Math.Atan()
//                           Math.Atan2()
//                           Math.Tan()
using System;

class Sample 
{
    public static void Main() 
    {
    double x = 1.0;
    double y = 2.0;
    double angle;
    double radians;
    double result;

// Calculate the tangent of 30 degrees.
    angle = 30;
    radians = angle * (Math.PI/180);
    result = Math.Tan(radians);
    Console.WriteLine("The tangent of 30 degrees is {0}.", result);

// Calculate the arctangent of the previous tangent.
    radians = Math.Atan(result);
    angle = radians * (180/Math.PI);
    Console.WriteLine("The previous tangent is equivalent to {0} degrees.", angle);

// Calculate the arctangent of an angle.
    String line1 = "{0}The arctangent of the angle formed by the x-axis and ";
    String line2 = "a vector to point ({0},{1}) is {2}, ";
    String line3 = "which is equivalent to {0} degrees.";

    radians = Math.Atan2(y, x);
    angle = radians * (180/Math.PI);

    Console.WriteLine(line1, Environment.NewLine);
    Console.WriteLine(line2, x, y, radians);
    Console.WriteLine(line3, angle);
    }
}
/*
This example produces the following results:

The tangent of 30 degrees is 0.577350269189626.
The previous tangent is equivalent to 30 degrees.

The arctangent of the angle formed by the x-axis and
a vector to point (1,2) is 1.10714871779409,
which is equivalent to 63.434948822922 degrees.
*/

Visual C++


// This example demonstrates Math.Atan()
//                           Math.Atan2()
//                           Math.Tan()
using namespace System;
int main()
{
   double x = 1.0;
   double y = 2.0;
   double angle;
   double radians;
   double result;

   // Calculate the tangent of 30 degrees.
   angle = 30;
   radians = angle * (Math::PI / 180);
   result = Math::Tan( radians );
   Console::WriteLine( "The tangent of 30 degrees is {0}.", result );

   // Calculate the arctangent of the previous tangent.
   radians = Math::Atan( result );
   angle = radians * (180 / Math::PI);
   Console::WriteLine( "The previous tangent is equivalent to {0} degrees.", angle );

   // Calculate the arctangent of an angle.
   String^ line1 = "{0}The arctangent of the angle formed by the x-axis and ";
   String^ line2 = "a vector to point ({0},{1}) is {2}, ";
   String^ line3 = "which is equivalent to {0} degrees.";
   radians = Math::Atan2( y, x );
   angle = radians * (180 / Math::PI);
   Console::WriteLine( line1, Environment::NewLine );
   Console::WriteLine( line2, x, y, radians );
   Console::WriteLine( line3, angle );
}

/*
This example produces the following results:

The tangent of 30 degrees is 0.577350269189626.
The previous tangent is equivalent to 30 degrees.

The arctangent of the angle formed by the x-axis and
a vector to point (1,2) is 1.10714871779409,
which is equivalent to 63.434948822922 degrees.
*/

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

Portable Class Library

Supported in: Portable Class Library

Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Reference

Math Class

System Namespace

Community Content

321654683165163

Extending the Angle Range

Because I always forget, and in case anyone else is interested, I thought I would
add this example:

Since Math.Atan(double d) returns an angle that is between -π/2 and π/2, it
does not cover all of the quadrants. To get the angle of a straight line
(defined by 2 points) with a positive angle being anti-clockwise from the x-axis
(with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system – rather than the screen
coordinate system) then the following needs to be done to ensure that the
correct angle is returned:

public float GetAngle(PointF p1, PointF p2)
{
   PointF delta = new PointF(p2.X - p1.X, p2.Y - p1.Y);
   float angle = (float)Math.Atan(delta.Y / Math.Abs(delta.X));
   if (delta.X < 0.0f) { angle = (float)Math.PI - angle; }
   return angle;
}