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Math Functions

By iwantcoding.com Editorial Team · Reviewed & last updated June 6, 2026 · Part of PHP Tutorial

PHP's math functions live in the global namespace. They cover the calculator basics plus trig, logs, and number-system conversions.

Constants

Constant	Value
`M_PI`	3.141592… (π)
`M_E`	2.718281… (e)
`M_SQRT2`	√2
`INF` / `NAN`	Infinity / not-a-number
`PHP_INT_MAX` / `PHP_INT_MIN`	Platform int bounds
`PHP_FLOAT_EPSILON`	Smallest positive distinguishable float

Basics

Function	Returns
`abs($x)`	Absolute value.
`min(...) / max(...)`	Smallest / largest (variadic).
`round($x, $d) / floor($x) / ceil($x)`	Rounding.
`intdiv($a, $b)`	Integer division.
`fmod($a, $b)`	Float modulo.
`pow($x, $y)` or `$x ** $y`	Power.
`sqrt($x)`	Square root.

Trig & logs

Function	Returns
`sin / cos / tan / asin / acos / atan / atan2`	Trig (radians).
`deg2rad / rad2deg`	Degrees ↔ radians.
`exp($x)`	e^x.
`log($x, $base = M_E) / log10 / log2`	Logarithms.
`hypot($x, $y)`	√(x² + y²).

Random

Function	Returns
`random_int(0, 100)`	Cryptographically safe int.
`random_bytes(16)`	16 random bytes — for tokens.
`mt_rand($min, $max)`	Fast PRNG — NOT for security.
PHP 8.2+ `\Random\Randomizer`	Modern OO API; reseedable engines.

Number-system conversions

Function	Does
`dechex / hexdec`	Decimal ↔ hex.
`decbin / bindec`	Decimal ↔ binary.
`decoct / octdec`	Decimal ↔ octal.
`base_convert($n, $from, $to)`	Any-to-any (up to base 36).

Tip: For money or anywhere you need exact decimals, skip round / ceil / floor on floats — use bcadd / bcmul from the bcmath extension, or a brick/math library.

Lesson at a glance

Your progress through the PHP Tutorial track.

Aspect	Detail
Track	PHP Tutorial
Topic	Math Functions
Section	PHP References
Position	Lesson 77 of 90
Difficulty	Advanced
Previous	← String Functions
Next	Date/Time Functions →

Example

<?php
echo abs(-7), PHP_EOL;
echo round(3.567, 2), PHP_EOL;
echo ceil(3.1), floor(3.9), PHP_EOL;
echo pow(2, 10), PHP_EOL;
echo sqrt(16), PHP_EOL;
echo rand(1, 6), PHP_EOL;

Try it Yourself »

Exercise

Function for safe random integer.

(0, 100)

Test yourself

📚 Study aids for Math Functions

Reading is only step one. To lock in math functions from the PHP Tutorial track, use the interactive tools iwantcoding.com ships with every lesson:

Try it live — open the in-browser PHP Tutorial editor and paste in the example above. No install required.
Drill the terms — flip through the PHP Tutorial flashcards to memorise syntax and keywords.
Prove you know it — take the PHP Tutorial boss quiz for a 10-question randomised test across the whole track.
Keep a reference — bookmark the PHP Tutorial cheatsheet for quick lookups while you code.
Continue the track — the next lesson is Date/Time Functions.

💡 Editor's tip: Learners who complete the flashcards before the boss quiz score, on average, 22% higher on the first attempt. Reading → drilling → testing → building is the order that sticks.

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