decimal degrees to degrees, minutes, seconds (DMS)
by miami on 08/15/04 at 14:22:25

How can I convert from decimal degrees (as in, "degrees of longitude" or "degrees of latitude") to degrees, minutes, and seconds, or vice versa?  How can I convert from fractional hours to hours, minutes, and seconds, or vice versa?

Re: decimal degrees to degrees, minutes, seconds (
by Robert Fogt on 08/16/04 at 16:36:28

Here are step by step instructions from the About.com website.

1. The whole units of degrees will remain the same (i.e. in 121.135° longitude, start with 121°).

2. Multiply the decimal by 60 (i.e. .135 * 60 = 8.1).
The whole number becomes the minutes (8').

3. Take the remaining decimal and multiply by 60. (i.e. .1 * 60 = 6).
The resulting number becomes the seconds (6"). Seconds can remain as a decimal.

Take your three sets of numbers and put them together, using the symbols for degrees (°), minutes (‘), and seconds (") (i.e. 121°8'6" longitude)

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