| Command Summary | Command Syntax | Calculator Compatibility | Token Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takes the tangent of a number (usually, an angle). | tan(angle) | This command works on all calculators. | 1 byte |
Menu Location
Press the TAN button to enter tan(.
The tan() Command
The tan() command returns the tangent of an angle measure. Naturally, the result depends on the angle mode the calculator is in: radian, degree, or (in AMS version 3.10) gradian. You can also use one of the r, °, G marks to specify an angle mode.
For many common angles, tan() can compute an exact result. Other angles, the calculator will leave alone unless it's in approximate mode (or unless you make it approximate), and then it will give a decimal approximation. As long as the calculator is in radian mode, tan() can be used with complex numbers as well.
:tan(60°)
√3
:tan(x+π)
tan(x)
:tan(ix)
tanh(x)*i
If tan() is applied to a list, it will take the tangent of every element in the list.
Advanced Uses
The tan() of a matrix is not (in general) the same as taking the tangent of every element of the matrix. A different definition is used to compute the result; see 68k:matrices. It requires the matrix to be square and diagonalizable in order to apply.
Error Conditions
230 - Dimension happens when taking tan() of a matrix that isn't square.
260 - Domain error happens when taking tan() of a complex number in degree or gradian mode.
665 - Matrix not diagonalizable happens when taking tan() of a matrix that isn't diagonalizable.