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Given (Degrees) (Minutes) (Seconds):

-- Divide (Minutes) by 60. Call the result 'M'.

-- Divide (Seconds) by 3,600. Call the result 'S'.

-- Take (Degrees), and add 'M' and 'S' to it.

Example:

41degrees 12minutes36seconds

'M' = 12/60 = 0.2

'S' = 36/3,600 = 0.01

Degrees + 'M' + 'S' = 41.21 degrees

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13y ago
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12y ago

If you're given a latitude or longitude in Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds,

you can change it to a decimal number like this:

Degrees(decimal) = (Degrees) + (minutes/60) + (seconds/3,600) .

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Wiki User

11y ago
  1. Divide the number of seconds by 60.
  2. Add the number of minutes to the quotient.
  3. Divide the sum by 60.
  4. Add the number of degrees to the quotient.

Example: 40° 18' 36"

  1. 36 ÷ 60 = 0.6
  2. 0.6 + 18 = 18.6
  3. 18.6 ÷ 60 = 0.31
  4. 0.31 + 40 = 40.31

Decimal degree = (Whole degrees) + (minutes/60) + (seconds/3600)

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14y ago

This can be done manually but it's a lot easier and faster with a calculator.

A). Take the latitude:

1). Take the number of degrees. Don't change it, just write it down.

2). Take the number of minutes. Divide it by 60. Write down the answer.

3). Take the number of seconds. Divide it by 3600. Write down the answer.

4). Add up the 3 numbers you have written down. This answer is the degrees, minutes, and seconds of latitude, all in a single decimal number.

B). Do all the same steps with the longitude.

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10y ago

Either way is fine. Anybody who has to work with them every day

knows how to convert quickly from one to the other.

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Q: How is latitude and longitude expressed in degree in decimal or degree minute second?
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Why do cartographers break down degrees of longitude and latitude into minutes and seconds?

The division of latitude and longitude degrees into "minutes" (1/60 degree) and "seconds" (1/60 minute or 1/3600 degree) was a non-decimal attempt to further refine positions. The variations are expressed as minutes and seconds of arc on the Earth's 360° sphere. At the equator, one minute is approximately one nautical mile. The use of minutes and seconds has given way to decimal degrees, which are more easily compared and calculated. Example : 1° 15' of latitude can be expressed as 1.25 ° (decimal for 15/60).


What is the unit of latitude and longitude?

degree


How many miles are in a degree?

Degrees of latitude and longitude can be further subdivided into minutes and seconds: there are 60 minutes (') per degree, and 60 seconds (") per minute. For example, a coordinate might be written 65° 32' 15". Degrees can also be expressed as decimals: 65.5375, degrees and decimal minutes: 65° 32.25', or even degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds: 65° 32' 15.275". All these notations allow us to locate places on the Earth quite precisely - to within inches. A degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles, and a minute of latitude is approximately 1.15 miles. A second of latitude is approximately 0.02 miles, or just over 100 feet. A degree of longitude varies in size. At the equator, it is approximately 69 miles, the same size as a degree of latitude. The size gradually decreases to zero as the meridians converge at the poles. At a latitude of 45 degrees, a degree of longitude is approximately 49 miles. Because a degree of longitude varies in size, minutes and seconds of longitude also vary, decreasing in size towards the poles.


What is individual units of latitude or longitude?

Degrees, minutes, and seconds.===============================Answer #2:Latitude and longitude are angles, so any unit in which angles are measured isa perfectly good unit to describe latitude and longitude.Units of angular measure include radians, grads, and degrees. Geographiccoordinates are most often, indeed almost universally, expressed in degrees.Also, since a degree of latitude or longitude is quite a significant distance onthe Earth's surface, it's necessary to be able to indicate fractions of a degree ...most often as a decimal part, or with the clunky "minutes/seconds" subdivisions.


What do you call 0 degrees latitude and longitude?

0 degree latitude is called equator and 0 degree longitude is called prime meridian

Related questions

What is the latitude and longitude the capital of Quebec?

The approximate center of Quebec city, Quebec is Decimal Values Latitude = 46.802071 Longitude = -71.244926 Degree Values Latitude = N 46° 48' 7.4556'' Longitude = W 71° 14' 41.7336''


What is the latitude and longitude of New Mexico?

Latitude: 21 degree north Longitude: 103 degree west


What are the individual units of latitude or longitude?

Latitude and longitude are angles, so any unit in which angles are measured is a perfectly good unit to describe latitude and longitude. Units of angular measure include radians, grads, degrees, and others. Geographic coordinates are most often, indeed almost universally, expressed in degrees. Also, since a degree of latitude or longitude is quite a significant distance on the Earth's surface, it's necessary to be able to indicate fractions of a degree ... most often done as a decimal part, or with the clunky "minutes/seconds" subdivisions.


Why do cartographers break down degrees of longitude and latitude into minutes and seconds?

The division of latitude and longitude degrees into "minutes" (1/60 degree) and "seconds" (1/60 minute or 1/3600 degree) was a non-decimal attempt to further refine positions. The variations are expressed as minutes and seconds of arc on the Earth's 360° sphere. At the equator, one minute is approximately one nautical mile. The use of minutes and seconds has given way to decimal degrees, which are more easily compared and calculated. Example : 1° 15' of latitude can be expressed as 1.25 ° (decimal for 15/60).


What is the unit of measure used with lines of latitude and longitude?

Latitude and longitude are angles, and are best expressed in units of angle measurement. Those could include radians, grads, etc., but the most commonly used are degrees, minutes, seconds, and fractions of seconds.


What is the latitude and longitude degree of Tunisia?

The latitude and longitude degree of Tunisia is 34°00'N & 9°00'E.


What is the unit of latitude and longitude?

degree


What is the name for the lines of zero degree latitude and zero degree longitude?

0 longitude is the prime meridian. 0 latitude is the equator.


What is the latitude and longitude of San Gabriel mounains to the nearest degree?

For Latitude 130! and Longitude 150!


How many miles are in a degree?

Degrees of latitude and longitude can be further subdivided into minutes and seconds: there are 60 minutes (') per degree, and 60 seconds (") per minute. For example, a coordinate might be written 65° 32' 15". Degrees can also be expressed as decimals: 65.5375, degrees and decimal minutes: 65° 32.25', or even degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds: 65° 32' 15.275". All these notations allow us to locate places on the Earth quite precisely - to within inches. A degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles, and a minute of latitude is approximately 1.15 miles. A second of latitude is approximately 0.02 miles, or just over 100 feet. A degree of longitude varies in size. At the equator, it is approximately 69 miles, the same size as a degree of latitude. The size gradually decreases to zero as the meridians converge at the poles. At a latitude of 45 degrees, a degree of longitude is approximately 49 miles. Because a degree of longitude varies in size, minutes and seconds of longitude also vary, decreasing in size towards the poles.


What is individual units of latitude or longitude?

Degrees, minutes, and seconds.===============================Answer #2:Latitude and longitude are angles, so any unit in which angles are measured isa perfectly good unit to describe latitude and longitude.Units of angular measure include radians, grads, and degrees. Geographiccoordinates are most often, indeed almost universally, expressed in degrees.Also, since a degree of latitude or longitude is quite a significant distance onthe Earth's surface, it's necessary to be able to indicate fractions of a degree ...most often as a decimal part, or with the clunky "minutes/seconds" subdivisions.


What do you call 0 degrees latitude and longitude?

0 degree latitude is called equator and 0 degree longitude is called prime meridian