DEGREES(radian-angle) converts an angle measured in radians into degrees. For example, =DEGREES(PI()) returns 180 degrees mathematically. It is the inverse conversion of RADIANS.

This guide is based on Apple’s published function documentation and independently evaluated mathematical examples, not native Apple Numbers test output. Apple’s individual function documentation was consulted on 2026-10-11, using Formulas and Functions Help 15.4. That help version does not prove when the function first appeared in Numbers or whether an older iPhone, iPad, Mac or web release implements it identically. This guide deliberately separates Apple’s documented behaviour from independently calculated, mathematically expected values.

Apple defines DEGREES(radian-angle) as converting an angle measured in radians into degrees, with any numeric input permitted and ±2π described as a typical range. This is useful in calculated tables because you can retain numerical expressions instead of storing a formatted text label. For input values, choose units explicitly; an angle of 30 degrees is not the same numeric angle as 30 radians. The worked table below is intentionally small, allowing every row to be checked before applying the formula to large datasets.

=DEGREES(radian-angle)

The argument name and order above follow Apple’s official DEGREES function reference. No optional parameters were documented for this function in the reviewed edition. A numeric argument can be a typed number, numeric expression, or reference to a cell containing a number according to Apple’s value-type definitions. Do not assume the application will convert text containing units or arbitrary imported strings to valid numeric input: that behaviour was not tested here.

Locale and formula punctuation: The formulas below show English-style decimal points (0.5) and use Apple’s standard function names. Apple says functions are case-insensitive and that hand-typed multi-argument formulas use a semicolon instead of a comma when the decimal symbol is a comma. The basic DEGREES call has one argument, so its syntax does not need an argument delimiter. Nested formulas with multiple arguments still follow the user’s region. The documented rule appears in Functions overview; do not confuse it with CSV import/export delimiters.

Numbers table references: In a single table, B2 denotes B2 in that context; for another table, Numbers uses a qualified reference such as Angle Signals::B2. When typing a formula that pulls from a different table, select the intended cell and let Numbers construct the reference. Apple’s reference-type section documents the double-colon :: convention. A column name or a header may change how the editor displays an inserted reference.

Create a Numbers table called Radian Lookup. Set B1 to Radians input and C1 to Degrees result. In B2:B8 enter the actual formulas in the B column as written below, so the cells store full-precision values derived from PI() rather than rounded constants. Put =DEGREES(B2) in C2, then fill C3:C8. Format C values to six decimal places; degrees are unitless numbers unless you add the degree symbol via cell formatting.

The table shows expected, rounded mathematical results. The accompanying evidence JSON stores independently computed underlying values and formula-by-formula checks. Minor last-digit differences in displayed decimals are possible across spreadsheet engines; none of the outputs above were observed in an Apple Numbers runtime.

A quick hand-entry check

Enter =DEGREES(0) in an unused cell and check whether a numerical result appears consistent with 0.000000 when formatted to six decimals. If your application reports an error or a noticeably different value, verify the function, data type, argument units, locale and table references before proceeding.

Readable output from an angle calculated in radians

Many inverse-trigonometric calculations produce radian measurements. If B11 contains =PI()/6, then =DEGREES(B11) gives the familiar 30-degree angle. Do not use RADIANS(B11) here: that would interpret the existing radian measurement as degrees and convert a second time.

Check a conversion round-trip

With a degree measurement 135 in B12, the formula =DEGREES(RADIANS(B12)) is mathematically 135. This is a good unit-test case when comparing a workbook imported from another spreadsheet tool. For exact equality checks on non-integer angles, allow for possible last-digit numerical differences.

Recover a slope angle from a tangent ratio

For a ratio of 1, =DEGREES(ATAN(1)) is mathematically 45 degrees. Apple lists ATAN in the same official trigonometry catalogue; this example is a mathematical identity used to show why a radian-to-degree conversion is needed, not an observation from a live Numbers execution.

• Feeding degrees into DEGREES: DEGREES(90) treats 90 as radians and produces a large value; use DEGREES only when input units really are radians.
• Converting twice: DEGREES(DEGREES(B2)) does not preserve the original intended angle.
• Using a rounded copy of π: DEGREES(3.14) differs from DEGREES(PI()). Prefer PI() for reference angles.
• Assuming output is normalized: Apple permits any numeric input; DEGREES(4*PI()) is 720 degrees, not zero.
• Radian data stored as text: ensure imported cells are numeric, not strings containing rad or other suffixes. Apple’s number-value definition matters.
• Expecting literal degree symbols: the function returns a numeric value, so the degree symbol—if wanted—is a display or labeling choice.

What’s verified and what isn’t: Apple’s documentation supports the function definition, its argument types and the specific documented examples. The numeric table and advanced formula results are independently calculated mathematical expectations. We did not check an app-specific error-message spelling, text-to-number coercion, huge-input floating-point limit, first-supported Numbers version, or behaviour on every device. Errors or unexpected results on very old or locale-customized installations should be investigated with the current in-app Functions Browser.

Microsoft Excel documents DEGREES(angle) for radians-to-degrees conversion. For well-formed real numeric inputs, the conversion is mathematically the same. This review does not guarantee identical treatment of nonnumeric imports, overflow, output formatting, errors, dynamic arrays or app-version availability.

The corresponding Microsoft Excel documentation was opened at Microsoft DEGREES function on 2026-10-11. Apple and Microsoft share these familiar function spellings for the documented scalar inputs; that does not establish every edge case or feature’s version history. Google Sheets was not run and its 2026 function release coverage was not individually revalidated in this batch. Test imported models in the actual destination app rather than relying on common names alone.

• RADIANS — Apple official help (link opened and verified 2026-10-11)
• PI — Apple official help (link opened and verified 2026-10-11)
• SIN — Apple official help (link opened and verified 2026-10-11)
• COS — Apple official help (link opened and verified 2026-10-11)

The links above point directly to Apple’s official function documentation. For a companion guide on this website, use the relevant function name in the Apple Numbers directory. These links do not imply that unverified cross-software behaviour has been tested.

• Apple Numbers — function documentation
• Apple’s value-type definitions
• Functions overview
• RADIANS — Apple official help
• PI — Apple official help
• SIN — Apple official help
• COS — Apple official help

Verification status: Official documentation checked; example outcomes were independently reasoned or arithmetically checked where applicable. Not executed in Apple Numbers.

• No genuine Apple Numbers screenshots are included; this guide does not use mock application images.