ACOT returns the inverse cotangent of a number. Its output is in radians. Positive inputs produce positive results, while negative inputs returned negative results in our Google Sheets tests.
ACOT function syntax
=ACOT(value)- value: the numeric cotangent value whose inverse you want.
- Zero returns PI()/2, approximately 1.5708.
- Check the negative-input convention if you are comparing Google Sheets with another application.
Set up the example data
Enter this dataset starting in A1. The first row contains headings. Keep the result area separate from the source table.
| Value |
|---|
| 1 |
| -1 |
| 0 |
| 2 |
Calculate the inverse cotangent
Enter this formula in A8. For an input of 1, ACOT returns approximately 0.7853981634 radians. Fill a relative-reference version down when you want one result beside each input.
=ACOT(A2)Result (rounded for display): 0.785398.
Convert the result into degrees
DEGREES converts the radian result. For ACOT(1), the result is 45 degrees. You are converting the result, so DEGREES belongs outside ACOT.
=DEGREES(ACOT(A2))Result (rounded for display): 45.
Check negative and zero inputs
This array formula processes all four inputs. The results are approximately 0.7854, -0.7854, 1.5708 and 0.4636 radians, in that order.
=ARRAYFORMULA(ACOT(A2:A5))Result (rounded for display): 0.785398; -0.785398; 1.570796; 0.463648.
Use the positive-angle convention when required
For the negative input in A3, adding PI() changes the result from -pi/4 to 3pi/4, approximately 2.3562. Nonnegative inputs keep their existing result.
=IF(A3<0,ACOT(A3)+PI(),ACOT(A3))Result (rounded for display): 2.356194.
Round the result for presentation
ROUND returns a value rounded to four decimal places. For the input 1, the rounded result is 0.7854. Change the second argument when another precision is needed.
=ROUND(ACOT(A2),4)Result (rounded for display): 0.7854.
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