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Asked: 2026-05-27T01:29:09+00:00

xVel = velocity * Math.cos(angle); yVel = velocity * Math.sin(angle); This is what I

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xVel = velocity * Math.cos(angle);
yVel = velocity * Math.sin(angle);

This is what I use to convert a single initial velocity to x and y velocity, using the angle input by the user. Occasionally the xVel will be negative. I was wondering if using an absolute value Math function would be fine or would it mathematically skew my results.

This is what I was thinking for that:

xVel = velocity * Math.abs(Math.cos(angle));

Programming in Java BTW, even though that doesn’t really matter in this case.

EDIT: Due to a lack of some important information I will add some revisions.

Occasionally I will enter a value for an angle that is in the positive quadrant (i.e. 15°) and still get a negative xVel.

Also this program is assuming that the angle is being counted up from the x axis in a counter clockwise fashion.

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    You are getting a negative x velocity for a 15 degree angle because Math.cos and Math.sin accept the angle in radians and not degrees.

    You must first convert your angle in degrees to an angle in radians like this:

    xVel = velocity * Math.cos(angle * Math.PI / 180.0);
yVel = velocity * Math.sin(angle * Math.PI / 180.0);
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