What is tan.sup-1?

[TRS717]

Hey there,

Some of you math wizzes will probably laugh at me for this, but I've never completed any higher level math. (Goes to show that pilots don't do much fancy math.)

Anway, I'm trying to calculate something called Constant Angle Descent Point, it's used for GPS (RNAV) approaches.

It's an easy equation, until I get to a part that says [tan.sup-1] (Max Stepdown Gradient/6076). I just need to know what the heck [tan.sup-1] is, and I'll have it made.

Any help is appreciated.

Scott

 

[Loren]

Looks to me like someone is combining html with math. I think they mean to have "sup" mean "superscript". So, I believe they mean \(\displaystyle \tan^{-1}\) which means arctangent. It is the inverse function of tangent.
For instance, \(\displaystyle \tan 45\)°\(\displaystyle =1\) so \(\displaystyle \tan^{-1} 1 = 45\)°.

 

[TRS717]

Ah, gotcha. Thank you.

Scott