Math Functions

Spectre expressions support the following standard math functions. These functions can be used in all Spectre file types.

Compute the absolute value of a number.
abs(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`abs(2)` returns 2

`abs(-2)` returns 2

`abs(2.3)` returns 2.3

`abs(-2.3)` returns 2.3

`abs(77.5)` returns 77.5

`abs(-0.62)` returns 0.62

`abs(calc("Value") - 1600)`returns 91.4484 when Value is 1508.5516

Compute the arc cosine (in radians) of a number.
arccos(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`arccos(45)` returns <error>

`arccos(0.45)` returns 1.104030

`arccos(calc("Value") / 2000)` returns 0.7162459 when Value is 1508.5516

Compute the arc sine (in radians) of a number.
arcsin(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`arcsin(calc("Value") / 2000)` returns 0.8545504 when Value is 1508.5516

Compute the arc tangent (in radians) of a number.
arctan(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`arctan(calc("Value") / 2000)` returns 0.646232 when Value is 1508.5516

Compute the smallest integer not less than a number. In other words, ceil() always rounds up.
ceil(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`ceil(2.3)` returns 3

`ceil(2.7)` returns 3

`ceil(-2.3)` returns -2

`ceil(-2.7)` returns -2

`ceil(calc("Value"))` returns -91 when the Value is -91.4484

Compute the cosine of an angle (measured in radians).
cos(angle_radians : numeric) : double

For example:

`cos(100)` returns 0.862319

`cos(45)` returns 0.525322

`cos(0.45)` returns 0.900447

`cos(calc("Value"))` returns 0.8325361 when Value is 1508.5516

Compute the value of e (Euler's number) raised to the power of a number.
exp(exponent : numeric) : double

For example:

`exp(calc("Value") / 1000)` returns 4.520179 for a Value of 1508.5516

`exp(20 / 1000)` returns 1.0202013

Compute the largest integer not greater than a number.
floor(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`floor(2.3)` returns 2

`floor(2.7)` returns 2

`floor(-2.3)` returns -3

`floor(calc("Value"))` returns -92 when the Value is -91.4484

Insert a decimal into a number.
insert_decimal(number : numeric, places : integer) : double

For example:

`insert_decimal(2891, 3)` returns 2.891

`insert_decimal(1000, 6)` returns 0.001

`insert_decimal(4567, 6)` returns 0.004567

`insert_decimal(5, 4)` returns 0.0005

Compute the natural (base e) logarithm of a number.
ln(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`ln(100)` returns 4.605200

`ln(1)` returns 0

`ln(100000)` returns 11.512900

`ln(0)` returns <error>

`ln(calc("Value"))` returns 7.3189053 for a Value of 1508.5516

Compute the common (base 10) logarithm of a number.
log10(value : numeric) : double

For example,

`log10(100)` returns 2.0

`log10(1)` returns 0.0

`log10(100000)` returns 5.0

`log10(10)` returns 1.0

`log10(0)` returns <error>

`log10(calc("Value"))` returns 3.1785602 for a Value of 1508.5516

Return the largest value. Two variants exist: one for a row (non-summary/math) expression and another for a column (summary) expression.
The parameters determine which variant applies.
 
Return the largest value of a list of numbers in a row. There must be two or more arguments.
max(value1 : any, value2 : any, ... : any) : any

For example:

`max(value("cost"), value("price"), value("discount"))` returns, for each row, the largest value found in the three named columns

`max(calc("Value"), 1700)` returns the greater of the calculation or 1700

 
Evaluate the specified expression on all rows and determine the maximum value for the summary column.
max(expression: any) : any

For example:

`max(value("Price"))` returns the maximum value in the Price column

 

NOTE: See also the max Summary function.
Return the smallest value. Two variants exist: one for a row (non-summary/math) expression and another for a column (summary) expression.
The parameters determine which variant applies.
 
Return the smallest value of a list of numbers in a row. There must be two or more arguments.
min(value1 : any, value2 : any, ... : any) : any

For example:

`min(value("cost"), value("price"), value("discount"))` returns, for each row, the smallest value found in the three named columns

`min(calc("Value"), 1600)` returns the lesser of the calculation or 1600

 
Evaluate the specified expression on all rows and return the minimum value for the summary column.
min(expression : any) : any

For example:

`min(value("Price"))` returns the minimum value in the Price column

 

NOTE: See also the min Summary function.
Compute the remainder of dividing one number by another.
mod(dividend : numeric, divisor : numeric) : double

For example:

`mod(10, 3)` returns 1

`mod(20, 5)` returns 0

`mod(48, 55, 12)` returns 0.55

`mod(calc("Value"), 123.4)` returns 27.7516 for a Value of 1508.5516

Compute the difference between one number and another as a percentage.
pct_var(newer_value : numeric, older_value : numeric) : double
If older_value is 0, this function returns null.

For example:

`pct_var(2,1)` returns 100

`pct_var(3,4)` returns -25

`pct_var(1,0)` returns null

Compute one number raised to the power of another.
pow(base : numeric, exponent : numeric) : double

For example:

`pow(8, 3)` returns 512

`pow(3, 12)` returns 531441

`pow(calc("Value"), 1.5)` returns 58592.2606643 for a Value of 1508.5516

Compute a random real number between 0 and 1. This function is seeded to increase the likelihood that different sequences are returned on every run.
random() : double

For example:

`random()` could return 0.221034

When a calculation with a random number (`random()`) is made in a cPlan, this function generates a random number for each line.

Compute a number rounded to the nearest integer, or to a specified unit.
round(value : numeric, unit : numeric) : double

For example:

`round(0.2)` returns 0

`round(0.49)` returns 0

`round(0.5)` returns 1

`round(0.9)` returns 1

`round(-0.5)` returns -1

`round(0.49, 0.1)` returns 0.5

`round(3.1415926, 0.000001)` returns 3.141593

`round(-55, 100)` returns -100

`round(17, 5)` returns 15

`round(calc("Value"))` returns -91.0 when the Value is -91.4484

Compute the sign (-1, 0, or 1) of a number.
sign(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`sign(-99)` returns -1

`sign(0.1)` returns 1

`sign(0)` returns 0

`sign(calc("Value") - 1600)`returns -1 when the Value is 1508.5516

Compute the sine of an angle (measured in radians).
sin(angle_radians : numeric) : double

For example:

`sin(1508.5516)` returns 0.5539708

`sin(calc("Value"))` returns 0.5539708 when Value is 1508.5516

Compute the square root of a number.
sqrt(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`sqrt(25)` returns 5.0

`sqrt(30)` returns 5.4772256

`sqrt(175)` returns 13.22887566

`sqrt(0.45)` returns 0.6708204

`sqrt(-1)` returns <error>

`sqrt(calc("Value"))` returns 38.8400772 for a Value of 1508.5516

Compute the tangent of an angle (measured in radians).
tan(angle_radians : numeric) : double

For example:

`tan(2007.396)` returns -0.0818879

`tan(calc("Value"))` returns 0.6654016 when Value is 1508.5516

Compute the nearest integer not greater in magnitude than a number.
trunc(value : numeric) : double

For example:

`trunc(2.3)` returns 2.0

`trunc(2.7)` returns 2.0

`trunc(-2.3)` returns -2.0

`trunc(-2.7)` returns -2.0

`trunc(calc("Value"))` returns -91.0 when the Value is -91.4484

See also: Alphabetized Functions for Spectre.