DEGREES
Converts an angle from radians to degrees.
DEGREES(angle)Arguments
angleThe angle in radians to convert
=DEGREES(PI())Pi radians equals 180 degrees
=DEGREES(PI()/2)Half pi radians equals 90 degrees
=DEGREES(1)1 radian is approximately 57.3 degrees
- •Inverse of RADIANS()
- •Formula: degrees = radians * 180 / PI()
- •Excel trig functions (SIN, COS, TAN) expect radians, not degrees
- •Applying DEGREES to a value that's already in degrees, expecting no change - DEGREES always assumes the input is in radians and converts it, so applying it to a degree value produces a meaningless result
- •Forgetting to use DEGREES after a trigonometric function like ATAN or ACOS, which return their results in radians by default, not degrees - the raw output can look like a strange number until converted
- •Confusing the direction of conversion with RADIANS - DEGREES converts radians to degrees, while RADIANS does the opposite, and mixing them up doubles the error instead of canceling it out
RADIANSPerforms the reverse conversion - converts degrees into radians, the input format most trigonometric functions expect.SINExpects its angle argument in radians, so DEGREES is often used afterward to convert the type of result rather than the input.ATANReturns its result in radians, making DEGREES a common wrapper to convert the output into a more familiar degree value.Why does DEGREES give a strange result when I apply it to something already in degrees?
DEGREES always assumes its input is in radians. Applying it to a value already in degrees performs an unwanted conversion, producing a meaningless number.
Why do my trigonometric formulas need DEGREES afterward?
Functions like ATAN, ACOS, and ASIN return angles in radians by default. Wrapping the result in DEGREES converts it into the more familiar degree format.
What's the difference between DEGREES and RADIANS?
They convert in opposite directions - DEGREES turns radians into degrees, while RADIANS turns degrees into radians.
Need to translate a formula using DEGREES?
Use our translator to convert your complete formula