DMS to Decimal Degrees Converter
Convert degrees, minutes and seconds to decimal degrees and back, with the sign for south and west, a table of common values and the distance each unit covers.
DMS to decimal degrees
Decimal degrees to DMS
Common values
| Decimal degrees | Degrees, minutes, seconds |
|---|---|
| 0.1° | 0° 6′ 0″ |
| 0.25° | 0° 15′ 0″ |
| 0.5° | 0° 30′ 0″ |
| 0.75° | 0° 45′ 0″ |
| 1.5° | 1° 30′ 0″ |
| 10.5° | 10° 30′ 0″ |
| 28.5562° | 28° 33′ 22.32″ |
| 45.123456° | 45° 7′ 24.4416″ |
| 90° | 90° 0′ 0″ |
| -33.8688° | -33° 52′ 7.68″ |
How far is a degree, a minute and a second?
| Unit | Distance along a meridian (latitude) |
|---|---|
| 1 degree | about 111 km |
| 1 arcminute | about 1.852 km, one nautical mile |
| 1 arcsecond | about 30.9 m |
| 0.00001 degree (5th decimal) | about 1.1 m |
Degrees of longitude cover less ground away from the equator: the distance shrinks with the cosine of the latitude.
Survey and airfield coordinates
Aerodrome and survey coordinates are often listed in degrees, minutes and seconds on charts and data sheets, while GIS tools, spreadsheets and GPS units use decimal degrees. Check the datum (WGS-84 is the usual reference) and the sign convention before moving coordinates between systems.
Related
Angle ConverterdBm to WattsNumber Base ConverterConversion Centre
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert degrees, minutes and seconds to decimal degrees?
Divide the minutes by 60 and the seconds by 3,600, then add them to the degrees: decimal = D + M/60 + S/3600. For 28° 33′ 22.32″ that is 28 + 0.55 + 0.0062 = 28.5562°.
How do I convert decimal degrees to degrees, minutes and seconds?
The whole number is the degrees. Multiply the fraction by 60: the whole part is the minutes. Multiply the new fraction by 60 to get the seconds. For 28.5562°, 0.5562 × 60 = 33.372, so 33′, and 0.372 × 60 = 22.32″.
How do I show south and west?
Decimal degrees use a minus sign for south latitudes and west longitudes, so 33° 52′ 07.68″ S is −33.8688°. Choose the minus sign in the converter, or type a minus before the degrees.
How many decimal places do I need?
Five decimal places is about 1.1 metres on the ground and six is about 0.11 metres. One arcsecond of latitude is about 30.9 metres.