What is the syntax for SIN in Excel?

The syntax for SIN is: =SIN(number)

What are common errors with SIN?

Argument must be in radians, not degrees

How do I use SIN with degrees instead of radians?

Wrap your degree value in RADIANS(): =SIN(RADIANS(45)) gives the sine of 45 degrees (0.707). Excel's trig functions always expect radians, so this conversion is essential when working with degrees.

How do I create a sine wave in Excel?

Use =SIN(2*PI()*frequency*time + phase). For a simple wave, create a column of time values (0, 0.1, 0.2...) and use =SIN(2*PI()*A1) where A1 is time. Adjust frequency to change wave speed, add amplitude: =amplitude*SIN(...).

What is the range of values SIN can return?

SIN always returns values between -1 and 1, inclusive. SIN(0) = 0, SIN(π/2) = 1, SIN(π) = 0, SIN(3π/2) = -1. This bounded range makes it useful for oscillating calculations and normalizing values.

Math & Trig

SIN Function in Excel

Returns the sine of an angle specified in radians.

Syntax

=SIN(number)

Arguments

number (required): Angle in radians

Examples

=SIN(PI()/2) - Sine of 90 degrees - Result: 1
=SIN(RADIANS(30)) - Sine of 30 degrees - Result: 0.5

SIN in reporting workflows

Use absolute references when copying formulas across rows.
For conditional totals see [SUMIF](/functions/sumif/) and [SUMIFS](/functions/sumifs/).
Filtered lists may need [SUBTOTAL](/functions/subtotal/) instead of SUM on visible cells only.

Common errors

Argument must be in radians, not degrees

Use cases

Trigonometry
Wave calculations
Physics simulations

Frequently asked questions

How do I use SIN with degrees instead of radians? Wrap your degree value in RADIANS(): =SIN(RADIANS(45)) gives the sine of 45 degrees (0.707). Excel's trig functions always expect radians, so this conversion is essential when working with degrees.
How do I create a sine wave in Excel? Use =SIN(2*PI()*frequency*time + phase). For a simple wave, create a column of time values (0, 0.1, 0.2...) and use =SIN(2*PI()*A1) where A1 is time. Adjust frequency to change wave speed, add amplitude: =amplitude*SIN(...).
What is the range of values SIN can return? SIN always returns values between -1 and 1, inclusive. SIN(0) = 0, SIN(π/2) = 1, SIN(π) = 0, SIN(3π/2) = -1. This bounded range makes it useful for oscillating calculations and normalizing values.

Editorial review

Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.