# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel Formulas & Functions >  >  How do I do the inverse of tan in Excel?

## MiddleEarthNet

I know how to use the tan function in Excel 2003, but I need the inverse of
tan written as 1/tan or tan^-1) for a set of equations I'm doing.  I've tried
various combinations of writing it with brackets to separate terms but it
still says there is an error.

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## Niek Otten

=1/TAN(A1)
=TAN(A1)^(-1)

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

"MiddleEarthNet" <MiddleEarthNet@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E860C1B4-6886-4C96-BBD5-08A238ECBFD4@microsoft.com...
>I know how to use the tan function in Excel 2003, but I need the inverse of
> tan written as 1/tan or tan^-1) for a set of equations I'm doing.  I've
> tried
> various combinations of writing it with brackets to separate terms but it
> still says there is an error.

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## Ron Coderre

Per Excel Help:

ATAN()
Returns the arctangent, or inverse tangent, of a number.

Is that what you're looking for?
(If not, check Excel's math and trig functions.)

***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP-Pro


"MiddleEarthNet" wrote:

> I know how to use the tan function in Excel 2003, but I need the inverse of
> tan written as 1/tan or tan^-1) for a set of equations I'm doing.  I've tried
> various combinations of writing it with brackets to separate terms but it
> still says there is an error.

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## Bernard Liengme

Niek,
I think we have a language problem here.
Inverse of a trig function is the TAN^1(x) not (TAN(x))^-10.
We talk about Arcsine, Arctan so we use ASIN, ATAN
best wishes
--
Bernard V Liengme
www.stfx.ca/people/bliengme
remove caps from email

"Niek Otten" <nicolaus@xs4all.nl> wrote in message
news:%23rBrNLuPGHA.2300@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> =1/TAN(A1)
> =TAN(A1)^(-1)
>
> --
> Kind regards,
>
> Niek Otten
>
> "MiddleEarthNet" <MiddleEarthNet@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message news:E860C1B4-6886-4C96-BBD5-08A238ECBFD4@microsoft.com...
>>I know how to use the tan function in Excel 2003, but I need the inverse
>>of
>> tan written as 1/tan or tan^-1) for a set of equations I'm doing.  I've
>> tried
>> various combinations of writing it with brackets to separate terms but it
>> still says there is an error.
>
>

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## Harlan Grove

Bernard Liengme wrote...
>I think we have a language problem here.
>Inverse of a trig function is the TAN^1(x) not (TAN(x))^-10.

^-1 rather than ^-10.

The proper term for 1/x is the reciprocal of x. Inverse is a more
general term which needs context such as additive, multiplicative or
function.

>We talk about Arcsine, Arctan so we use ASIN, ATAN
>best wishes

As for arctangents, when possible, better to use ATAN2 than ATAN since
the former can handle 90 and 270 (or -90) degree angles.

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## Niek Otten

Hi Bernard,

I was afraid of that, but took the OP's text literally:

<written as 1/tan or tan^-1>

Hopefully we get some sort of feedback to see what the intention was

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

"Bernard Liengme" <bliengme@stfx.TRUENORTH.ca> wrote in message
news:eqo86buPGHA.648@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Niek,
> I think we have a language problem here.
> Inverse of a trig function is the TAN^1(x) not (TAN(x))^-10.
> We talk about Arcsine, Arctan so we use ASIN, ATAN
> best wishes
> --
> Bernard V Liengme
> www.stfx.ca/people/bliengme
> remove caps from email
>
> "Niek Otten" <nicolaus@xs4all.nl> wrote in message
> news:%23rBrNLuPGHA.2300@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> =1/TAN(A1)
>> =TAN(A1)^(-1)
>>
>> --
>> Kind regards,
>>
>> Niek Otten
>>
>> "MiddleEarthNet" <MiddleEarthNet@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message news:E860C1B4-6886-4C96-BBD5-08A238ECBFD4@microsoft.com...
>>>I know how to use the tan function in Excel 2003, but I need the inverse
>>>of
>>> tan written as 1/tan or tan^-1) for a set of equations I'm doing.  I've
>>> tried
>>> various combinations of writing it with brackets to separate terms but
>>> it
>>> still says there is an error.
>>
>>
>
>

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