Arccos Calculator

Calculate the arccosine of a value and convert between radians and degrees.

Enter Cosine Value

Results:

Arccos (Radians):
Arccos (Degrees):

Understanding Arccos (Inverse Cosine)

Arccosine, denoted as arccos(x) or cos-1(x), is the inverse function of cosine. It answers the question: "What angle has a cosine of x?". In simpler terms, if cos(θ) = x, then arccos(x) = θ.

The input value for arccos must be between -1 and 1, inclusive, as the cosine function's range is [-1, 1]. The output of arccos is an angle, typically expressed in radians or degrees. The range of arccos is [0, π] radians or [0°, 180°] degrees.

Formula:

`$$ \text{If } \cos(\theta) = x, \text{ then } \arccos(x) = \theta $$`

Use Cases: Arccos is widely used in trigonometry, geometry, physics, and engineering to find angles when the cosine value is known. For example, in vector calculations, finding angles in triangles, and various problems involving wave phenomena.

Learn more about Arccos on Wikipedia.