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Glite Dictionary
inverse tangent

inverse tangent

1 6.5
A math function that gives the angle whose tangent equals a number
  • noun
  • /ˈɪnvɜrs ˈtænʤənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tangente inversa
  • Students will need to be taught the algebraic and trigonometric calculations needed for polar coordinates, including the inverse tangent functions on a calculator.
  • inverse tangent function

And then you do inverse tangent of second answer.

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Examples

  • In this problem, we need to apply the inverse tangent to determine the angle from the given tangent value.

  • And then you do inverse tangent of second answer.

    Brian McLogan

  • Well, we have to remember that when we're talking about the inverse tangent, right?

  • So we're left with plus one ninth inverse tangent of positive Infinity.

  • So in that situation, we could write that the P jet is approximately the inverse tangent of alpha.

    MIT OpenCourseWare

  • To calculate the exact angle, we use a simple trigonometric equation with the inverse tangent.

    Academic text (2011)

  • To find the angle, use the inverse tangent of the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side.

  • When calculating the angle of elevation, the inverse tangent function is essential in trigonometry.

Synonyms

arc tangent
vsinverse tangent
  • Specialized
1 7.9

The angle whose tangent equals a given number

is commonly written as one technical word instead
arctangent
vsinverse tangent
  • Specialized
9.9

The angle whose tangent is a given number

is written as two separate words instead
arctan
vsinverse tangent
  • Specialized
9.3

An angle whose tangent equals a given number

is the full two-word form rather than an abbreviation

Surface Forms

inverse tangent singular
inverse tangents plural

Morphology

inverse + tangent

The components 'inverse' (opposite/reversed) and 'tangent' (a trigonometric ratio) signal a mathematical operation on the tangent function, so a learner may infer a relation to reversing or undoing the tangent. However, the precise interpretation as the inverse function (arctangent, giving the angle) rather than the reciprocal (1/tan) is domain-specific and potentially ambiguous for a B1 learner, so the meaning is only partially predictable without mathematical knowledge.

Etymology

The term inverse tangent comes from the words inverse and tangent and means 'undoing' the tangent. Imagine you know a slope or a tangent number and want the original 'angle' that made it. The inverse tangent gives that 'angle', so it 'undoes' the tangent.