Math.Atan2 Method (System)

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.NET Framework Class Library
Math.Atan2 Method

Updated: March 2011

Returns the angle whose tangent is the quotient of two specified numbers.

Namespace:  System
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Syntax
Visual Basic
Public Shared Function Atan2 ( _
	y As Double, _
	x As Double _
) As Double
C#
public static double Atan2(
	double y,
	double x
)
Visual C++
public:
static double Atan2(
	double y, 
	double x
)
F#
static member Atan2 : 
        y:float * 
        x:float -> float

Parameters

y
Type: System.Double
The y coordinate of a point.
x
Type: System.Double
The x coordinate of a point.

Return Value

Type: System.Double
An angle, θ, measured in radians, such that -π ≤ θ ≤ π, and tan(θ) = y / x, where (x, y) is a point in the Cartesian plane. Observe the following:

  • For (x, y) in quadrant 1, 0 < θ < π/2.

  • For (x, y) in quadrant 2, π/2 < θ ≤ π.

  • For (x, y) in quadrant 3, -π < θ < -π/2.

  • For (x, y) in quadrant 4, -π/2 < θ < 0.

For points on the boundaries of the quadrants, the return value is the following:

  • If y is 0 and x is not negative, θ = 0.

  • If y is 0 and x is negative, θ = π.

  • If y is positive and x is 0, θ = π/2.

  • If y is negative and x is 0, θ = -π/2.

If x or y is NaN, or if x and y are either PositiveInfinity or NegativeInfinity, the method returns NaN.
Remarks

The return value is the angle in the Cartesian plane formed by the x-axis, and a vector starting from the origin, (0,0), and terminating at the point, (x,y).

Examples

The following example demonstrates how to calculate the arctangent of an angle and a vector. The resulting value is displayed in 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.
'
C#

// 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.
See Also

Reference

Math Class
System Namespace
Change History

Date

History

Reason

March 2011

Updated return value information.

Customer feedback.