Degrees Minutes Seconds to Decimal Degrees Converter
Conversion Formula
Decimal Degrees (DD) = Degrees + (Minutes ÷ 60) + (Seconds ÷ 3600) × Direction
- Step 1: Enter degrees as whole number (e.g., 40).
- Step 2: Add minutes fraction: Minutes / 60.
- Step 3: Add seconds fraction: Seconds / 3600.
- Step 4: Apply sign: + for N/E, – for S/W.
Example: 40° 42′ 46″ N = 40 + 42/60 + 46/3600 = 40.712777…°
Popular Examples Table
| Location | DMS Latitude | Decimal Lat | DMS Longitude | Decimal Lon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 48° 51′ 29″ N | 48.858056 | 2° 17′ 40″ E | 2.294444 |
| London | 51° 30′ 26″ N | 51.507222 | 0° 7′ 39″ W | -0.127500 |
| Sydney | 33° 52′ 04″ S | -33.867778 | 151° 12′ 36″ E | 151.210000 |
| Tokyo | 35° 41′ 16″ N | 35.687778 | 139° 46′ 29″ E | 139.774722 |
DMS vs Decimal Precision Chart
1 DMS Second Accuracy
~3 meters on Earth surfaceDecimal 6 Places
~0.1 meters precisionHigher decimal places match DMS detail for GPS and surveying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if minutes exceed 59?
Tool auto-normalizes: 40° 70′ 0″ becomes 41° 10′ 0″.
Can I enter decimal minutes?
Yes, e.g., 40° 42.7667′ 0″ for precision.
How does direction affect longitude?
N/E positive for latitude/longitude; S/W negative.
Batch for multiple coordinates?
Click Batch Input, paste lines like “48 51 29 N”, converts all.
Aviation vs nautical usage?
Aviation prefers decimal for flight plans; nautical often degrees decimal minutes.
Global Coordinate Practices
Surveying uses DMS for legacy maps; GPS apps favor decimal for computation speed. Europe standards lean decimal; some Asia regions mix formats.
References
- Federal Communications Commission. Degrees, Minutes, Seconds to Decimal Degrees Formula. https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/dms-decimal
- RapidTables. Degrees Minutes Seconds to Degrees Converter. https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/number/degrees-minutes-seconds-to-degrees.html
- LatLong.net. DMS to Decimal Degrees Coordinates. https://www.latlong.net/degrees-minutes-seconds-to-decimal-degrees
- National Geodetic Survey. Coordinate Conversion Guidelines, NOAA, 2023.