Coordinates - DMS to Decimal to DMS - Calculator

This calculator can be used, for instance, If you have a GPS receiver which displays coordinates in DMS and you have coordinates in decimal form and vice-versa.

• Use the box "Coordinates - DMS" to enter coordinates in degrees, minutes, seconds and direction (negative values are not allowed - choose direction instead); the result will be shown in decimal equivalent in the "Coordinates - Decimal" box.
• Use the "Coordinates - Decimal" box to enter coordinates in decimal; the result will be shown in degrees, minutes, seconds and direction equivalent in the "Coordinates - DMS" box.

How to Convert Coordinates between Decimal and Degrees, Minutes and Seconds.

1 - From Decimal to Degrees, Minutes and Seconds.

Supose you want to convert from decimal to DMS (degree, minute, second - sexagesimal) the coordinates of the Titanic sunk:

Latitude: 49.948333333333° N and Longitude: -41.726388888889° W

Here's the step by step process:

• Take for example the latitude.
• The whole units of degrees will remain the same (i.e. in 49.948333333333° longitude, start with 49°).
• Multiply the remaining decimal by 60 (i.e. .948333333333 * 60 = 56.899999999980).
• The whole number becomes the minutes (56').
• Take the remaining decimal and multiply by 60. (i.e. 0.899999999980 * 60 = 53.999999998800).
• The resulting number becomes the seconds (53"). Seconds can remain as a decimal or rounded.
• Take your three sets of numbers and put them together, using the symbols for degrees (°), minutes (‘), and seconds (") (i.e. 49°56'53.999" or 49°56'54 - if rounded")

Repeat the same procedure for the longitude and you'll find the value 41°43'35.

2 - From Degrees, Minutes and Seconds to Decimal.

This one is a very easy procedure.

Once there are 60 minutes in a degree and 60 seconds in a minute, to convert from a degrees minutes seconds format to a decimal degrees format, we use this formula:

decimal degrees = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600.

Taking the last example (49°56'54) we have:

decimal degrees = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600.
decimal degrees = 49 + 56/60 + 54/3600 = 49 + 0.9333333333333333 + 0.015 = 49.94833333°

It is possible to check these results using our calculators above.

Video: Latitude and Longitude

Latitude and longitude are precise ways of locating a person or thing without a reference point. In this video, learn how to read longitude and latitude lines.