Angle of elevation calculator

Find the angle above horizontal from a vertical rise and a horizontal distance: angle = atan(rise ÷ distance).

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Vertical rise

Horizontal distance

Answer

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Find the angle above horizontal from a vertical rise and a horizontal distance: angle = atan(rise ÷ distance).

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Precision and calculation record

Decimal places in numeric results and text downloads

Rounding changes displayed numbers, not the calculation. Text, fractions, matrices and CSV schedules keep their own formatting. Automatic keeps up to 12 significant digits, with money shown to cents where applicable.

Step-by-step calculation

Inputs are substituted below. Each line evaluates the next operation; intermediate values are displayed to 12 significant digits while the calculation uses full precision.

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Formula and assumptions

Use the height difference from the observer, not total object height. Both distances share one unit. Assumes a flat horizontal baseline and ignores refraction and Earth curvature.

Automatic precision shows numbers to 12 significant digits. Thousands separators such as 1,000 are accepted; use a dot for decimals.

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Updated 2026-09-26

Using Angle of elevation calculator

Find the angle above horizontal from a vertical rise and a horizontal distance: angle = atan(rise ÷ distance).

Use the height difference from the observer, not total object height. Both distances share one unit. Assumes a flat horizontal baseline and ignores refraction and Earth curvature.

Next: Right triangle calculator

A worked example

Example inputs: vertical rise = 3, horizontal distance = 3. Elevation angle (degrees) = 45.

Before you use the result

Use the height difference from the observer, not total object height. Both distances share one unit. Assumes a flat horizontal baseline and ignores refraction and Earth curvature.

Example results for vertical rise

These examples use Horizontal distance: 3. They are reference calculations, not recommended settings.

Vertical rise	Elevation angle (degrees)
1.5	26.5650511771
3	45
6	63.4349488229

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