JavaScript Math tan: The Tangent of an Angle in Radians

JavaScript Math.tan() finds the tangent of an angle in radians. You use it when you need to solve angle-based math. It returns a number.

This function works well in geometry, animation, or other trigonometry tasks. Every modern browser supports it. You do not need a library to use it.

How to Use Math.tan() in JavaScript

JavaScript Math.tan() returns the tangent of a number. The input must be in radians. It belongs to the built-in Math object. You write it with a dot after Math.

The syntax looks like this:

Math.tan(x)

• x: a number in radians
• The return value is a number

JavaScript uses the angle in radians to find the tangent. The result may be positive or negative. You may see large or small results based on the input.

Use JavaScript Math.tan() to solve triangle angles or rotate items in animations. It fits anywhere you need to convert angles to a straight value.

Math.tan(Math.PI / 4)

This line finds the tangent of 45 degrees. The value Math.PI / 4 means 45 degrees in radians. The function returns 1. This shows the tangent of 45 degrees.

You pass the angle as a value in radians. The output gives the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side of a triangle. This helps in geometry and animation.

Examples of JavaScript Math.tan()

Tangent of 0 radians

Math.tan(0)

This gives the tangent of 0 radians. The output is 0. Tangent of 0 always equals 0 because the ratio of opposite to adjacent sides is 0 when the angle is 0.

Tangent of 45 degrees

Math.tan(Math.PI / 4)

This finds the tangent of 45 degrees. You pass the angle in radians as Math.PI / 4. The result is close to 1. This means both triangle sides are the same length.

Tangent of 90 degrees

Math.tan(Math.PI / 2)

This gives a large value. Tangent of 90 degrees tends toward infinity. JavaScript shows a very large number. Use it carefully in such edge cases.

Tangent of -45 degrees

Math.tan(-Math.PI / 4)

This gives the tangent of a negative angle. The result is -1. Negative input returns a negative output. This reflects the function’s odd symmetry.

Tangent of 30 degrees

Math.tan(Math.PI / 6)

This returns the tangent of 30 degrees. The output is around 0.577. This means the opposite side is shorter than the adjacent one in a 30-degree triangle.

Tangent of a full rotation

Math.tan(2 * Math.PI)

This gives the tangent after a full rotation. The input is 360 degrees in radians. The result is 0 because the function resets every full turn.

Browser and JavaScript Version Support

Compatibility Across Browsers

• Google Chrome supports Math.tan() from the first version.
• Firefox supports it from version 1.
• Safari, Edge, and Opera support it without changes.
• It works the same on desktop and mobile browsers.

Support in Older JavaScript Versions

• JavaScript has supported Math.tan() since the start.
• You do not need a library or plugin.
• It works in ECMAScript 1 and newer.

You can use it in any project without worry. All platforms that run JavaScript support this function.

Wrapping Up

In this article, you learned how to use JavaScript Math.tan().

Here’s a quick recap:

• It finds the tangent of a number in radians.
• The syntax is Math.tan(x).
• It belongs to the Math object.
• Input must be in radians.
• Output is a number.
• You use it in geometry and animation.
• It works well in triangle math.
• The output may be positive or negative.
• It handles full rotations.
• It works in all browsers and versions.