Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
arctan
Mathematical Function
/ˈɑrkˌtæn/
Definition
The arctangent function, also known as the inverse tangent function, is a trigonometric function that returns the angle whose tangent is a given number.
Examples
- To find the angle in a right triangle having an opposite side of 1 and an adjacent side of 1, you can use arctan(1), which equals 45 degrees.
- The angle for which the tangent is 0.5 can be calculated as arctan(0.5).
Meaning
It is commonly used in mathematics, particularly in geometry and calculus, to find angles when the tangent value is known.
Synonyms
- Inverse Tangent
- Tan-1
