excel problem 1

[ollylandandwater]

I am trying to write an excel spread sheet for distance and bearing between two co-ordinates, the distance is easy, Pythagoras! but when it comes to calculating the whole circle bearing I’m struggling, theta = tan^1(dE/dN) depending on which quadrant the line falls depends whether you add nothing,180 degrees or 360 degrees but how would I write this in a spread sheet?

I have written spread sheets for levels, profile boards, and volume calculations, if that’s any use to anyone.

 

[Denial]

Use Excel's ATAN2 function. It is intended to get around the exact problem you describe.

It takes two arguments, first the change in X, second the change in Y. But be aware that most people who do not live in Redmond instinctively want to enter these two arguments in the other order.

 

[ollylandandwater]

thanks i will give that a go, bit confused by the,

"But be aware that most people who do not live in Redmond instinctively want to enter these two arguments in the other order." statement??

cheers olly

 

[Denial]

Most mathematically-inclined programming languages that offer the equivalent of ATAN2 require the arguments to be entered in the order (change in Y, change in X).

Microsoft (headquartered - I believe - in Redmond in the US state of Washington) chooses to be different.

 

[RTavarez]

You must remember: EXCEL won´t report angles in degree, just radians. Th result of the function used to obtain the angle must be converted to degrees with the function DEGREES(argument).