Sec Calculator
Calculate the secant of any angle in degrees or radians, with pole detection.
About Sec Calculator
The secant is the reciprocal of cosine: sec(θ) = 1/cos(θ) = hypotenuse/adjacent. It is undefined where cos = 0, i.e. at 90° + k·180°.
Formula
Secant definition
sec θ = 1 / cos θ = hypotenuse / adjacent
- θ
- The angle
Worked example
With the default values below, Sec Calculator returns sec(θ) of 2.0000000000. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Angle (θ)
- 60
- Angle unitone of Degrees, Radians
- Degrees
Results
- sec(θ)
- 2.0000000000
- Angle (degrees)
- 60.000000 °
- Angle (radians)
- 1.04719755
Step by step
- 1Convert to radians
- 2Check for poles= No singularity detected
- 3Apply sec function= 2
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 10 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sec(0°)?
sec(0°) = 1/cos(0°) = 1/1 = 1.
Where is secant undefined?
At 90°, 270°, and all odd multiples of 90° — wherever cosine equals zero.