1. What is Arctan Calculation?

The arctangent (arctan) is the inverse of the tangent function, returning the angle whose tangent is the given number. This calculator provides the result in degrees and minutes format, which is commonly used in navigation, surveying, and astronomy.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the following mathematical process:

Where:

• \( x \) — Input value (unitless ratio)
• \( \theta \) — Resulting angle in degrees and minutes

Conversion Process: The calculator first computes the arctangent in radians, converts it to decimal degrees, then separates the whole degrees from the remaining minutes (1 degree = 60 minutes).

3. Importance of Degrees and Minutes Format

Details: Degrees and minutes format is widely used in practical applications where precise angle measurement is required, especially when dealing with coordinates or navigation.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Simply enter any real number (positive or negative) and the calculator will return the corresponding angle in degrees and minutes format.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the range of the arctan function?
A: The range is from -90° to +90° (-π/2 to +π/2 radians).

Q2: How accurate is the minutes calculation?
A: Minutes are calculated to one decimal place (precision of 0.1 minute or 6 arcseconds).

Q3: Can I input very large numbers?
A: Yes, but remember arctan(x) approaches ±90° as x approaches ±infinity.

Q4: Why use degrees and minutes instead of decimal degrees?
A: Many traditional applications (like nautical navigation) still use this format, and it provides more intuitive units for human interpretation.

Q5: How do I convert the result back to a ratio?
A: Convert minutes to decimal degrees (divide by 60), add to degrees, then take the tangent of the total in degrees.