COMMON FUNCTIONS
The Pascal language provides a range of functions to perform data transformation and calculations. The following section provides an explanation of the commonly provided functions,

• ABS
  The ABSolute function returns the absolute value of either an integer or real, eg,

  
  
        ABS( -21 )    returns   21
  
        ABS( -3.5)    returns   3.5000000000E+00
  
  

  
  
• COS
  The COSine function returns the cosine value, in radians, of an argument, eg,

  
  
        COS( 0 )       returns  1.0
  
  

  
  
• EXP
  The exponential function calculates e raised to the power of a number, eg,

  
  
        EXP(10 )      returns e to the power of 10
  
  

  There is no function in Pascal to calculate expressions such as an, ie,

        23  is 2*2*2  = 8
  
  

  These are calculated by using the formula

       an = exp( n * ln( a ) )
  
  

  
  
• LN
  The logarithm function calculates the natural log of a number greater than zero.
  
  
  
• ODD
  The odd function determines when a specified number is odd or even, returning true when the number is odd, false when it is not.
  
  
  
• ROUND
  The round function rounds its number (argument) to the nearest integer. If the argument is positive

      rounding is up for fractions greater than or equal to .5
  
      rounding is down for fractions less than .5
  
  

  If the number is negative

       rounding is down (away from zero) for fractions >= .5
  
       rounding is up (towards zero) for fractions < .5
  
  

  
  
• SIN
  The sine function returns the sine of its argument, eg,

  
  
        SIN( PI / 2 )    returns  1.0
  
  

  
  
• SQR
  The square function returns the square (ie the argument multiplied by itself) of its supplied argument,

  
  
        SQR( 2 )         returns  4
  
  

  
  
• SQRT
  This function returns {always returns a real} the square root of its argument, eg,

  
  
        SQRT( 4 )        returns  2.0000000000E+00
  
  

  
  
• TRUNC
  This function returns the whole part (no decimal places) of a real number.

  
  
        TRUNC(4.87)      returns 4
  
        TRUNC(-3.4)      returns 3