As a student of Mathematics, you often deal with degrees when measuring angles be it in Bearing, Latitude and Longitude or Geometry.
You will often find degrees given in decimal, like this example, 121.135°; instead of the more common degrees, minutes, and seconds (121°8′6″). So, what if you have to make a conversion from decimal to the sexagesimal system? How do you go about it?
Consider the steps below:
- The whole units of degrees will remain the same (i.e. in 121.135°, 121° will remain unchanged).
- Multiply the decimal by 60 (that is, .135 × 60 = 0.135 × 60 = 8.1).
- The whole number from your result becomes the minutes (8′).
- Take the remaining decimal from Step 2, and multiply by 60. (that is, .1 × 60 = 0.1 × 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”)
And capisce! You are done with the conversion, knowledge of which will come handy if you have to sit an exam where scientific calculators are not allowed. Try other examples with these simple steps.
Quick Facts:
- You can choose between decimal degrees and degrees, minutes, and seconds on any GPS.
- Once you have degrees, minutes, and seconds, it’s often easier to find your location on most maps (especially topographic maps).
- Though there are 360 degrees in a circle, each degree is divided into sixty minutes and each minute is divided into sixty seconds.
Source: about.com
