Math

Python - A Quick Start for existing Programers

2 min read

Published Sep 16 2025, updated Aug 17 2026

Python

The math module is part of Python’s standard library.

Provides mathematical functions and constants for real numbers (not complex numbers).
Useful for:

Trigonometry (sin, cos, tan)
Exponentials & logarithms (exp, log)
Rounding & absolute values (ceil, floor, fabs)
Factorials, combinatorics (factorial, comb, perm)
Special functions (gcd, lcm, hypot)
Constants (pi, e, tau, inf, nan)

It can imported by:

import math

Main Features & Methods

Constants:

math.pi → 3.14159…
math.e → 2.71828…
math.tau → 6.28318… (2π)
math.inf → Infinity
math.nan → Not a Number

Rounding / Absolute:

ceil(x) → Round up
floor(x) → Round down
trunc(x) → Truncate toward 0
fabs(x) → Absolute value
fmod(x, y) → Remainder (like % but float-safe)
modf(x) → Splits into fractional and integer parts
copysign(x, y) → x with the sign of y

Exponential & Logarithms:

exp(x) → eˣ
expm1(x) → eˣ - 1 (better for small x)
log(x, base) → Logarithm (default base = e)
log10(x) → Base-10 log
log2(x) → Base-2 log
log1p(x) → log(1 + x), accurate for small x
pow(x, y) → xʸ (like **)
sqrt(x) → Square root

Trigonometry:

sin(x), cos(x), tan(x) → in radians
asin(x), acos(x), atan(x) → inverse trig
atan2(y, x) → atan(y/x) considering quadrant
hypot(x, y) → √(x² + y²)

Hyperbolic Functions:

sinh(x), cosh(x), tanh(x)
asinh(x), acosh(x), atanh(x)

Angular Conversion:

degrees(x) → radians → degrees
radians(x) → degrees → radians

Factorials & Combinatorics:

factorial(n) → n!
comb(n, k) → n choose k
perm(n, k) → n permute k

Number Theory & Special Functions:

gcd(a, b) → greatest common divisor
lcm(a, b) → least common multiple
isqrt(n) → integer square root
prod(iterable) → product of iterable elements
fsum(iterable) → precise float sum
sum vs fsum: fsum is more accurate for floats

Demonstration of the math module

import math# ----------------------------------------# Constantsprint("pi:", math.pi)print("e:", math.e)print("tau:", math.tau)print("inf:", math.inf)print("nan:", math.nan)# ----------------------------------------# Rounding & Absoluteprint("ceil(2.3):", math.ceil(2.3))print("floor(2.7):", math.floor(2.7))print("trunc(-3.9):", math.trunc(-3.9))print("fabs(-5):", math.fabs(-5))print("fmod(7, 3):", math.fmod(7, 3))print("modf(3.14):", math.modf(3.14))print("copysign(3, -10):", math.copysign(3, -10))# ----------------------------------------# Exponentials & Logsprint("exp(2):", math.exp(2))print("expm1(1e-5):", math.expm1(1e-5))print("log(8):", math.log(8))print("log(100, 10):", math.log(100, 10))print("log10(1000):", math.log10(1000))print("log2(16):", math.log2(16))print("log1p(1e-5):", math.log1p(1e-5))print("pow(2, 5):", math.pow(2, 5))print("sqrt(25):", math.sqrt(25))# ----------------------------------------# Trigonometryprint("sin(pi/2):", math.sin(math.pi/2))print("cos(0):", math.cos(0))print("tan(pi/4):", math.tan(math.pi/4))print("asin(1):", math.asin(1))print("acos(0):", math.acos(0))print("atan(1):", math.atan(1))print("atan2(1, 1):", math.atan2(1, 1))print("hypot(3, 4):", math.hypot(3, 4))# ----------------------------------------# Hyperbolicprint("sinh(1):", math.sinh(1))print("cosh(1):", math.cosh(1))print("tanh(1):", math.tanh(1))print("asinh(1):", math.asinh(1))print("acosh(2):", math.acosh(2))print("atanh(0.5):", math.atanh(0.5))# ----------------------------------------# Angle conversionsprint("degrees(pi):", math.degrees(math.pi))print("radians(180):", math.radians(180))# ----------------------------------------# Factorials & Combinatoricsprint("factorial(5):", math.factorial(5))print("comb(5, 2):", math.comb(5, 2))print("perm(5, 2):", math.perm(5, 2))# ----------------------------------------# Number Theoryprint("gcd(48, 18):", math.gcd(48, 18))print("lcm(12, 15):", math.lcm(12, 15))print("isqrt(17):", math.isqrt(17))print("prod([1,2,3,4]):", math.prod([1,2,3,4]))print("fsum([0.1]*10):", math.fsum([0.1]*10))  # precise float sum