Atan Method
.NET Framework Class Library
Math..::.Atan Method

Returns the angle whose tangent is the specified number.

Namespace:  System
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Shared Function Atan ( _
    d As Double _
) As Double
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim d As Double
Dim returnValue As Double

returnValue = Math.Atan(d)
C#
public static double Atan(
    double d
)
Visual C++
public:
static double Atan(
    double d
)
JScript
public static function Atan(
    d : double
) : double

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.

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.

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.
'
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.
*/

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Xbox 360, Zune

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

.NET Framework

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

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 2.0, 1.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: 3.0, 2.0, 1.0
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