The C++ Standard Library provides a wide range of mathematical functions that are useful for all sorts of programming tasks. You can add, subtract, find absolute values, and more by calling arithmetic functions into your project.
![list of C++ math functions](https://www.hubspot.com/hs-fs/hubfs/C++%20Math%20Functions.png?width=595&height=400&name=C++%20Math%20Functions.png)
For this post, we've curated a list of functions that you should have at your disposal when calculating mathematical equations in C++. We'll review what each one does and look at an example so you can see how it works in a live use case.
Keep this post handy as a reference guide so you can return to it whenever you need a quick reminder on C++ math functions.
C++ Math Functions
1. Absolute Value: abs(x)
This function returns the absolute value of a number.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
int x = -5;
int absoluteValue = abs(x);
std::cout << "Absolute value of " << x << " is: " << absoluteValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Absolute value of -5 is: 5
2. Square Root: sqrt(x)
This function returns the square root of a number.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 25.0;
double squareRoot = sqrt(x);
std::cout << "Square root of " << x << " is: " << squareRoot << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Square root of 25 is: 5
3. Cube Root: cbrt(x)
This function returns the cube root of a number.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 27.0;
double cubeRoot = cbrt(x);
std::cout << "Cube root of " << x << " is: " << cubeRoot << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Cube root of 27 is: 3
4. Power: pow(x, y)
This function multiples x to the power of y.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 2.0;
double y = 3.0;
double result = pow(x, y);
std::cout << x << " raised to the power of " << y << " is: " << result << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
2 raised to the power of 3 is: 8
5. Exponential: exp(x)
This function multiples the value of e (2.71828) to the power of x.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 1.0;
double result = exp(x);
std::cout << "Exponential of " << x << " is: " << result << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Exponential of 1 is: 2.71828
6. Natural Logarithm: log(x)
This function returns the natural logarithm of a number.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 10.0;
double naturalLog = log(x);
std::cout << "Natural logarithm of " << x << " is: " << naturalLog << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Natural logarithm of 10 is: 2.30259
7. Base-10 Logarithm: log10(x)
This function calculates the base-10 logarithm of a number.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 100.0;
double log10Value = log10(x);
std::cout << "Base-10 logarithm of " << x << " is: " << log10Value << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Base-10 logarithm of 100 is: 2
8. Base-2 Logarithm: log2(x)
This function calculates the base-2 logarithm of a number.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 16.0;
double log2Value = log2(x);
std::cout << "Base-2 logarithm of " << x << " is: " << log2Value << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Base-2 logarithm of 16 is: 4=
9. Floor: floor(x)
This function returns the largest integer that’s less than or equal to x.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 4.9;
double floorValue = floor(x);
std::cout << "Floor value of " << x << " is: " << floorValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Floor value of 4.9 is: 4
10. Ceiling: ceil(x)
This function returns the smallest integer that’s greater than or equal to x.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 4.1;
double ceilValue = ceil(x);
std::cout << "Ceil value of " << x << " is: " << ceilValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Ceil value of 4.1 is: 5
11. Round: round(x)
This function rounds x to the nearest integer.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 4.5;
double roundedValue = round(x);
std::cout << "Rounded value of " << x << " is: " << roundedValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Rounded value of 4.5 is: 5
12. Sine: sin(x)
This function returns the sine of x in radians.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double sineValue = sin(x);
std::cout << "Sine of " << x << " is: " << sineValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Sine of 0.5 is: 0.479426
13. Cosine: cos(x)
This function returns the cosine of x in radians.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double cosineValue = cos(x);
std::cout << "Cosine of " << x << " is: " << sineValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Cosine of 0.5 is: 0.877583
14. Tangent: tan(x)
This function returns the tangent of x in radians.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double tangentValue = tan(x);
std::cout << "Tangent of " << x << " is: " << sineValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Tangent of 0.5 is: 0.546302
15. Arcsine: asin(x)
This function returns the arcsine of x in radians.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double arcsineValue = asin(x);
std::cout << "Arcsine of " << x << " is: " << sineValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Arcsine of 0.5 is: 0.523599 radians
16. Arccosine: acos(x)
This function returns the arccosine of x in radians.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double arccosineValue = acos(x);
std::cout << "Arccosine of " << x << " is: " << sineValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Arccosine of 0.5 is: 1.0472 radians
17. Arctangent: atan(x)
This function returns the arctangent of x in radians.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double arctangentValue = atan(x);
std::cout << "Arctangent of " << x << " is: " << sineValue << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Arctangent of 0.5 is: 0.463648 radians
18. Hyperbolic Sine: sinh(x)
This function returns the hyperbolic sine of x.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double hyperbolicSine = sinh(x);
std::cout << "Hyperbolic sine of " << x << " is: " << hyperbolicSine << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Hyperbolic sine of 0.5 is: 0.521095
19. Hyperbolic Cosine: cosh(x)
This function returns the hyperbolic cosine of x.
Example:#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double hyperbolicCosine = cosh(x);
std::cout << "Hyperbolic cosine of " << x << " is: " << hyperbolicSine << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Hyperbolic cosine of 0.5 is: 1.12763
20. Hyperbolic Tangent: tanh(x)
This function returns the hyperbolic tangent of x.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
double x = 0.5;
double hyperbolicTangent = tanh(x);
std::cout << "Hyperbolic tangent of " << x << " is: " << hyperbolicSine << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Output:
Hyperbolic tangent of 0.5 is: 0.462117
Using Math Functions in C++
Mathematical functions will save you a lot of time regardless of the programming language that you're working in. Getting familiar with these C++ functions will help you write effective code that efficiently pulls in specific pieces of data and information. We hope you keep this post bookmarked as a handy reference point that you can return to whenever you need to brush up on your C++ coding skills.
Author's Note: This post was written/edited by a human with the assistance of generative AI.