Excel ATAN2 Function is a mathematical function used to calculate the arctangent of the specified x and y coordinates. It is often used in trigonometry and geometry to find the angle of a point in a Cartesian coordinate system relative to the positive x-axis. In simpler terms, it helps you determine the angle at which a point is located from the origin.
Syntax
ATAN2(number_x, number_y)
Arguments
| number_x | The x-coordinate of the point. |
| number_y | The y-coordinate of the point. |
How to use
You can use the ATAN2 function in Excel to find the arctangent of a point’s x and y coordinates. Here’s how you can use it:
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=ATAN2(number_x, number_y) |
Let’s take an example to understand how to use the ATAN2 function. Suppose you have a point with coordinates (3, 4). You can find the angle at which this point is located from the origin (0, 0) using the ATAN2 function as follows:
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=ATAN2(4, 3) |
This formula will return the angle in radians, which in this case is approximately 0.643501 radians.
If you want the result in degrees, you can convert it by multiplying the result by 180/π:
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=ATAN2(4, 3) * 180/PI() |
This will give you the angle in degrees, which is approximately 36.8699 degrees.
Additional information
The ATAN2 function is a valuable tool for various applications in Excel, including trigonometry, physics, and engineering. It returns results in radians, so if you need the angle in degrees, you can use the conversion factor mentioned earlier.
Keep in mind that the ATAN2 function is most commonly used to find the angle in a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.