SIN Function (OpenOffice Calc)
The SIN function in OpenOffice Calc returns the sine of an angle (in radians). Learn syntax, degree conversion, examples, and best practices.
Compatibility
▾| Excel | ✔ |
| Gnumeric | ✔ |
| Google_sheets | ✔ |
| Libreoffice | ✔ |
| Numbers | ✔ |
| Onlyoffice | ✔ |
| Openoffice | ✔ |
| Wps | ✔ |
| Zoho | ✔ |
What the SIN Function Does ▾
- Computes the sine of an angle
- Angle must be in radians
- Useful for geometry, waves, oscillations, and rotations
- Works across sheets
- Pairs naturally with COS, TAN, and PI
SIN is ideal when you need periodic or angular calculations.
Syntax ▾
SIN(number)
Arguments:
- number — Angle in radians
If your angle is in degrees, convert it using:
Degrees * PI() / 180
Basic Examples ▾
Sine of an angle in radians
=SIN(PI() / 2)
Result: 1
Sine of 30 degrees
=SIN(30 * PI() / 180)
Result: 0.5
Sine using a cell reference
=SIN(A1)
(Assumes A1 is in radians.)
Convert degrees to radians inside SIN
=SIN(RADIANS(A1))
Advanced Examples ▾
Sine wave function
=SIN(2 * PI() * Frequency * Time)
Damped sine wave
=EXP(-Decay * Time) * SIN(2 * PI() * Frequency * Time)
Triangle rotation (polar to Cartesian)
X:
=Radius * COS(AngleRadians)
Y:
=Radius * SIN(AngleRadians)
Oscillation model
=Amplitude * SIN(2 * PI() * t / Period)
SIN across sheets
=SIN(Sheet1.A1)
SIN in array formulas
=SIN(A1:A10)
Confirm with Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
Sine of a sum (wave interference)
=SIN(A1 + A2)
Sine for animation steps
=SIN(ROW() / 10)
Common Errors and Fixes ▾
SIN returns unexpected values
Almost always caused by:
- Using degrees instead of radians
- Forgetting to convert:
Degrees * PI() / 180 - Incorrect parentheses
SIN returns Err:502 (Invalid argument)
Occurs when:
- Input is text
- Input is empty
- A malformed reference is used
SIN ignores values you expected it to include
SIN ignores:
- Text numbers (
"123") - Empty cells
- Logical values
- Errors
SIN includes values you expected it to ignore
SIN includes:
- Dates
- Times
- Numeric results of formulas
Err:508 — Missing parenthesis
Usually caused by:
- Missing
) - Using commas instead of semicolons
Best Practices ▾
- Always convert degrees to radians
- Use SIN for waves, rotations, and periodic behavior
- Use named ranges for angles and frequencies
- Keep parentheses clean in multi‑step trig formulas
- Pair SIN with COS for coordinate transformations
If your angle is in degrees, always multiply by
PI()/180 — this is the #1 source of trig errors in Calc.