Math function: ATAN2

Subject: Math function: ATAN2
From: DAVID IBBETSON <ibbetson -at- IDIRECT -dot- COM>
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 22:31:45 -0400

atan(x) [arctangent (x)]is the inverse function to tan(x).

The argument x can be extremely large or extremely small. Readers will
remember that tan(0) = 0, while tan (90degrees) = infinity.

Because of the resulting difficulties many computer math programs provide a
2-paramater version of arctan. If I remember correctly this would be ATAN2
and ATAN2(x,y) would be atan(y/x). But this doesn't conform with the single
parameter in Elsa Kapitan-White's example.

In any case ATAN2 should be set like any other mathematical function, e.g.
log, sine, cosine, tan. A function is NOT a variable.

David (the idiot) Ibbetson
David Ibbetson ibbetson -at- idirect -dot- com
133 Wilton Street #506
Toronto, Ontario Phone (416) 363-6692
Canada M5A 4A4 Fax (416) 363-4987

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