Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 18, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Excel includes many built-in functions that allow you to use a wide range of trigonometric functions. Two that are not included, however, are functions for determining a secant and a cosecant. Let's assume that an angle value, in radians, is stored in cell B7. If you need to know the secant of the angle, you can use the following formula:
=1/COS(B7)
Likewise, if you need to know the cosecant of the angle, the following formula will do the trick:
=1/SIN(B7)
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10084) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Deriving a Secant and Cosecant.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
It's easy to use filtering to hide rows based on the value in a cell, but how do you hide rows based on the values in two ...
Discover MoreWhen you work with phone numbers in a worksheet, you may want to normalize those numbers so that they contain an area ...
Discover MoreIf you want to limit what is returned by a formula to something between lower and upper boundaries, the solution is to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2019-07-22 12:46:34
Gene Osten
Note: I would suggest a check for division for zero. Both SIN(θ) and COS(θ) can have the value zero.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments