Math

General Programming → Math

ROBOTC has a powerful collection of useful math functions for the NXT, TETRIX, VEX CORTEX, and Arduino MEGA-based platforms. The RCX, VEX PIC and Arduino 328P-based platforms do not have enough memory to store these more advanced math functions or support floating point numbers.

Color Key Function: Variable:

abs

float abs(const float input)

(float) Returns the absolute value of a number.

Parameter Explanation Data Type input The number to take the absolute value of (can be: int, long, short, float). float

float G = -9.81; // create a variable 'G' and set it equal to -9.81 float downForce = abs(G); // create and set variable 'downForce' to the absolute value of 'G' (9.81)

acos

float acos(const float Cosine)

(float) Returns the arc-cosine of a number in radians.

Parameter Explanation Data Type Cosine The number to take the arc-cosine of (in radians). float

float param = 0.5; // create and set floating point variable 'param' to 0.5 float result = acos(param) * 180.0 / PI; // create floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to the arc-cosine of 'param' in degrees (60)

asin

float asin(const float Sine)

(float) Returns the arc-sine of a number in radians.

Parameter Explanation Data Type Sine The number to take the arc-sine of (in radians). float

float param = 0.5; // create and set floating point variable 'param' to 0.5 float result = asin(param) * 180.0 / PI; // create floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to the arc-sine of 'param' in degrees (30)

atan

float atan(const float Tangent)

(float) Returns the arc-tangent of a number in radians.

Parameter Explanation Data Type Tangent The number to take the arc-tangent of (in radians). float

float param = 0.5; // create and set floating point variable 'param' to 0.5 float result = asin(param) * 180.0 / PI; // create floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to the arc-sine of 'param' in degrees (26.565)

atof

float atof ( string str )

(float) Returns a float representation of the string, str.

Parameter Explanation Data Type str The string to convert to a float. string

task main() { string strPI = "3.14"; // string 'strPI' is set equal to "3.14" float test = atof(strPI); // convert the string value of 'strPI' to a float and set 'test' to that number while(true); // keep the ROBOTC debugger alive so we can see the result }

ceil

float ceil(const float input)

(float) Returns the smallest integer value that is greater than or equal to input.

Parameter Explanation Data Type input The floating point number to take the ceiling value of. float

float E = 2.72; // create a variable 'E' and set it equal to 2.72 float ceiling = ceil(E); // create and set variable 'ceiling' to the ceiling value of 'E' (3)

cos

float cos(const float fRadians)

(float) Returns the cosine of a number of radians.

Parameter Explanation Data Type fRadians The number to take the cosine of (in radians). float

float result = cos(PI); // create a floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to the cosine of PI (-1)

cosDegrees

float cosDegrees(const float fDegrees)

(float) Returns the cosine of a number of degrees.

Parameter Explanation Data Type fDegrees The number to take the cosine of (in degrees). float

float result = cosDegrees(180); // create a floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to the cosine of 180 degrees (-1)

degreesToRadians

float degreesToRadians(const float fDegrees)

(float) Returns the radian equivalent of fDegrees.

Parameter Explanation Data Type fDegrees The number of degrees to convert into radians. float float radiansPerDegree = degreesToRadians(1.0); // create a floating point variable 'radiansPerDegree ' // and set it equal to the amount of radians in 1.0 degrees (0.017)

exp

float exp(const float input)

(float) Returns the number 'e' rasied to the power of input.

Parameter Explanation Data Type input The floating point number to raise the constant 'e' to. float

float result = exp(4); // create floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to e raised to the 4th power (e^4 = 54.598)

floor

float floor(const float input)

(float) Returns the largest integer value that is less than or equal to input.

Parameter Explanation Data Type input The floating point number to take the floor value of. float

float E = 2.72; // create a variable 'E' and set it equal to 2.72 float floorValue = ceil(E); // create and set variable 'floorValue' to the ceiling value of 'E' (2)

log

float log(const float input)

(float) Returns the natural logarithm (ln) of input.

Parameter Explanation Data Type input The floating point number to take the natural logarithm of. float

float E = 2.72; // create a variable 'E' and set it equal to 2.72 float ln = log(E); // create and set variable 'ln' to the natural log of 'E' (1.00)

log10

float log10(const float input)

(float) Returns the base-10 logarithm of input.

Parameter Explanation Data Type input The floating point number to take the base-10 logarithm of. float

float E = 2.72; // create a variable 'E' and set it equal to 2.72 float logBTen = log10(E); // create and set variable 'logBTen' to the base-10 log of 'E' (0.43)

PI

const float PI = 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510

(float) The constant π.

float y = 0.0; // create and set 'y' to 0.0 float LCD_width = 100.0; // create and set 'LCD_width' to 100.0 (width of NXT LCD in pixels)   nxtDrawLine(0, 31, 99, 31); // draw a line across the center of the LCD   for(int x = 0; x < 100; x++) // loop from 0 to 99 { y = sin(x * (2.0 * PI) / LCD_width) * 25; // calculate y-coordinate of pixel to draw nxtSetPixel(x, y + 31); // draw pixel at (x, y+31) wait1Msec(100); // wait 100 milliseconds }

pow

float pow(const float base, const float exponent)

(float) Returns base to the power of exponent.

Parameter Explanation Data Type base The floating point base to raise to the power of 'power'. float exponent The floating point exponent to raise 'base' to. float

float kilobyte = pow(10, 3); // create floating point variable 'kilobyte' and // set it equal to 10^3 or 1000

radiansToDegrees

short radiansToDegrees(const float fRadians)

(short) Returns the degree equivalent of fRadians.

Parameter Explanation Data Type fRadians The number of radians to convert into degrees. float

float degrees = radiansToDegrees(PI); // create a floating point variable 'degrees' // and set it equal to the amount of degrees in PI (180)

sgn

short sgn(const float input)

(short) Returns a value less than 0 if input is negative, and a value greater than 0 if input is positive.

Parameter Explanation Data Type input The number to test the sign of float

int res1 = sgn(-9.81); // returns -1 to 'res1' int res2 = sgn(3.14); // returns 1 to 'res2' int res3 = sgn(0); // returns 0 to 'res3'

sin

float sin(const float fRadians)

(float) Returns the sine of a number of radians.

Parameter Explanation Data Type fRadians The number to take the sine of (in radians). float

float result = sin(PI); // create a floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to the cosine of PI (0)

sinDegrees

float sinDegrees(const float fDegrees)

(float) Returns the sine of a number of degrees.

Parameter Explanation Data Type fDegrees The number to take the sine of (in degrees). float

float result = sinDegrees(180); // create a floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to the sine of 180 degrees (0)

sqrt

float sqrt(const float input)

(float) Returns the square-root of input.

Parameter Explanation Data Type input The number to take the square-root of. float

float result = sqrt(1764); // create a floating point variable 'result' and // set it equal to the square-root of 1764 (42)