Traditionally, portions of a degree have been measured with minutes and seconds.
Really?
Do we still use this anymore? Isn’t this something my parents and grandparents used?
Well, believe it or not, yes, we still use this this method of measuring angles.
Typically, we like to use decimal degrees, like 13.16 degrees instead of 13 degrees and 10 minutes, because they make more sense to use and are easier for us to calculate.
But, when we are working with Latitudes, Longitudes, Topography, Navigation, Surveying and Metrics, it is more common to use Degrees-Minutes-Seconds (DMS) notation because minutes and seconds in degrees resemble minutes and seconds for a clock.
But I’m not lost in the woods, trying to read a map!
Do I still need this?
While I would have to agree that you’re probably not lost in the woods right now, the DMS method still comes in handy when we are trying to read the coordinates of a map or working with distance and position.
But why I can’t I just use an App or this really cool website like Rapidtables to convert for me?
Yes, technology is awesome and helpful, but it’s always a good idea to know why it works. Besides, it’s in your textbook and your teacher wants you to learn it!
Decimal Degree & DMS Conversions
So, we might as well just dive right in and become smarty pants together! You never know, you may be the captain of a naval vessel or leading an expedition one day, and you’ll be glad you know your Degrees, Minutes and Seconds.
Okay, so if I have to learn it, then what is this thing all about?
So a brief history lesson first…
…The Ancient Babylonians used a sexagsimal systems when the calendar was based on having 360 days in a year; one day was equal to one degree and a whole year was like going a full circle or 360 degrees.
Pretty cool when you think about it.
Anyway, because of this, we can now say that 1 degree is equal to 60 minutes and 1 minute is equal to 60 seconds, as nicely stated by Augusta Technical College.
Therefore, when we need to convert from DMS to Decimal Degree or vice versa, all we have to do is basically divide or multiply by 60!
In this lesson we will walk through how to convert an angle from Degrees-Minutes-Seconds to Decimal Degree, as well as converting from Decimal Degree to Degrees Minutes Seconds.
We will also perform calculations in Degrees Minutes Seconds, like adding or subtracting two values in DMS notation and simplifying our answers.
Degrees Minutes Seconds – Video
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