How to use math functions in C#

The Math class contains many different mathematical functions. They include functions related to decimal rounding, trigonometry, powers, and square roots. Below is a list of some popular functions you can use.

Many programs need some form of math to complete certain calculations or format numeric data. In a C# application, you can use the Math class to help you complete basic mathematical tasks.

How to use basic mathematical functions

Some basic math tasks you can do include finding the smallest and largest number in a list. You can also round or truncate decimals to format them or find the absolute value of a number.

These math functions can be useful if you are creating classes in C# that will use formatted numeric data. Another situation that can be useful is if you are saving data to a CSV file in a C# application.

You can add these examples to any type of C# application, such as console applications, ASP.NET applications, etc.

Math.Max()

The Max() function allows you to compare two numbers to determine which number has the largest value. There are many different variations of the method, allowing you to input different types of numeric data into the function. This includes ints, doubles, floats, etc.

Here's an example of how you can use this function:

int max = Math.Max(4, 7); Console.WriteLine(max); // output: 7

The Max() function always takes exactly two arguments for comparison. If you want to find the maximum value of a series of numbers, there are many solutions. One of them involves manually looping through the array and using the Max() function to compare each number:

var arrayMaxNumbers = new List() { 3, 6, 1, 8, 4, 1 }; int maxNumber = arrayMaxNumbers[0]; foreach (var num in arrayMaxNumbers) { maxNumber = Math.Max(maxNumber, num); } Console.WriteLine(maxNumber); // output: 8

Math.Min()

The Min() function works the same as the Max() function. You can give the function two numbers and it will return the smallest value:

int min = Math.Min(4, 7); Console.WriteLine(min); // output: 4

Similarly, you will need to call the Min() function multiple times to find the smallest item in the list:

var arrayMinNumbers = new List() { 3, 6, -1, 8, 4, 1 }; int minNumber = arrayMinNumbers[0]; foreach (var num in arrayMinNumbers) { minNumber = Math.Min(minNumber, num); } Console.WriteLine(minNumber); // output: -1

Math.Abs()

The Abs() function allows you to calculate the absolute value of a number. An absolute value can never be negative, because it represents the distance for a number from 0.

Here's how you can use the Abs() function:

int absoluteNum = Math.Abs(5); Console.WriteLine(absoluteNum); // output: 5 int absoluteNumNegative = Math.Abs(-5); Console.WriteLine(absoluteNumNegative); // output: 5

Math.Round()

The Round() function accepts a decimal argument. You can also specify a limit for the number of decimal places required. The function then returns the rounded number:

double roundedDecimals = Math.Round(40.12345, 2); Console.WriteLine(roundedDecimals); // output: 40.12

You can also enter a number into the function. By default, the function rounds a decimal number to the nearest integer:

double roundedNum = Math.Round(40.6); Console.WriteLine(roundedNum); // output: 41

Math.Truncate()

The Truncate() function takes a decimal or double data type, such as 4.5. It removes any fractional part of the number and returns the resulting integer value.

double truncatedNum = Math.Truncate(4.5); Console.WriteLine(truncatedNum); // output: 4

How to use basic trigonometric functions

The Math class also includes a number of functions that can assist you in trigonometric calculations.

Math.Sin()

The Sin() function allows you to enter an angle measured in radians. The function will return the sine value of the angle:

double sinAngle = (90 * (Math.PI)) / 180; Console.WriteLine(Math.Sin(sinAngle)); // output: 1

Math.Cos()

The Cos() function also takes an angle measured in radians. It then returns the cosine for that angle:

double cosAngle = (90 * (Math.PI)) / 180; Console.WriteLine(Math.Cos(cosAngle)); // output: 6.123

Math.Tan()

Likewise, the Tan() function takes an angle measured in radians and returns the angle's tangent:

double tanAngle = (30 * (Math.PI)) / 180; Console.WriteLine(Math.Tan(tanAngle)); // output: 0.577

How to use exponential and square root math functions

You can use mathematical functions to calculate powers and square roots of a number.

Math.Pow()

The Pow() function calculates the power of a specific number. Here's an example of how you can use the Pow() function:

double powNum = Math.Pow(5, 3); Console.WriteLine(powNum); // output: 125

In this case, the function calculates the result of 5 to the power of 3 (in other words, 5 * 5 * 5).

Math.Sqrt()

The Sqrt() function returns the square root of a number. For example, feeding 16 into the function will return the square root of 16, which is 4:

double sqrtNum = Math.Sqrt(16); Console.WriteLine(sqrtNum); // output: 4

Existing mathematical functions make your life easier when performing certain calculations. These are not the only functions provided in the Math class, so let's explore some more, based on your needs.

Most programming languages include convenience functions or complete libraries for common mathematical operations.