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Enter coordinates above and click Convert to see Decimal Degrees and Degrees Minutes Seconds side by side.
What Are Decimal Degrees and Degrees Minutes Seconds?
Decimal Degrees (DD) write latitude and longitude as a single number, using a positive or negative sign to show hemisphere. New York City, for example, sits at 40.7128° N, 74.0060° W. The format is compact, sorts easily in spreadsheets, and is the default output of most mapping APIs and GPS chips.
Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS) is the older notation that splits each degree into 60 minutes and each minute into 60 seconds. The same New York coordinate becomes 40° 42′ 46.08″ N, 74° 00′ 21.60″ W. DMS is still the standard on aviation charts, marine maps, property deeds, and many handheld GPS units because it mirrors the way humans read scaled rulers and protractors.
DD vs DMS — Visual Reference
Decimal Degrees
40.7128°
One number, hemisphere from the sign.
Degrees Minutes Seconds
40° 42′ 46″
Each degree split into 60 minutes, each minute into 60 seconds.
A single degree contains 60 minutes; a single minute contains 60 seconds.
How to Convert Decimal Degrees to DMS
Start with the absolute value of the coordinate. The integer part is the degree. Multiply the remaining decimal by 60; the integer part of that result is the minutes. Multiply the new remainder by 60 to get the seconds. Finally, attach N or S for latitude and E or W for longitude based on the original sign.
Converting 40.7128° gives 40 degrees, 42 minutes, and 46.08 seconds. Because the value was positive, the hemisphere is North. A longitude of -74.0060° gives 74 degrees, 0 minutes, 21.6 seconds, with the negative sign becoming West.
How to Convert DMS to Decimal Degrees
The reverse formula is a single weighted sum: decimal = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600. If the direction is South or West, make the final value negative. This is the form used by Google Maps URLs, GIS shapefiles, and most programming libraries that expect a floating-point coordinate.
Using 74° 00′ 21.60″ W as an example, the calculation is 74 + 0/60 + 21.6/3600 = 74.0060, then negated to -74.0060 because the direction is West. Our converter performs this math server-side and rounds to six decimal places, which keeps precision within roughly 0.11 metres on the ground.
When Do Surveyors and Pilots Use DMS?
Surveyors use DMS when working with metes-and-bounds descriptions, because bearings such as "N 45° 30′ 15″ E" are naturally expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Pilots use DMS on sectional charts and instrument approach plates where latitude and longitude tick marks are labelled in whole minutes or seconds, making quick mental interpolation faster in the cockpit.
Drone operators and GIS analysts usually prefer Decimal Degrees because the values plug directly into coordinate transformation code and spreadsheet columns without parsing symbols. The two formats contain exactly the same information; the best choice depends on the device or document you are reading from.
Common City Coordinates in DD and DMS
| Location | Decimal Degrees | Degrees Minutes Seconds |
|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | 40.7128° N, 74.0060° W | 40° 42′ 46.08″ N, 74° 00′ 21.60″ W |
| London, UK | 51.5074° N, 0.1278° W | 51° 30′ 26.64″ N, 0° 07′ 40.08″ W |
| Tokyo, Japan | 35.6895° N, 139.6917° E | 35° 41′ 22.20″ N, 139° 41′ 30.12″ E |
| Sydney, Australia | 33.8688° S, 151.2093° E | 33° 52′ 07.68″ S, 151° 12′ 33.48″ E |
| Nairobi, Kenya | 1.2921° S, 36.8219° E | 1° 17′ 31.56″ S, 36° 49′ 18.84″ E |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert decimal degrees to degrees minutes seconds?
Take the absolute value of the coordinate. The whole number is degrees. Multiply the decimal remainder by 60; the whole number of that result is minutes. Multiply the new remainder by 60 to get seconds. Add N/S for latitude and E/W for longitude based on the original sign.
How do you convert DMS coordinates to decimal degrees?
Use the formula decimal = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600. If the hemisphere is South or West, make the final number negative. For example, 45° 30′ 00″ S becomes -(45 + 30/60) = -45.5.
What is the difference between DD and DMS coordinates?
Both store the same location. Decimal Degrees use one floating-point number per coordinate, which is compact and machine-friendly. Degrees Minutes Seconds split the value into degrees, minutes, and seconds, which is easier to read from physical maps and traditional navigation instruments.
Why do GPS devices show coordinates in DMS?
Handheld GPS units and aviation GPS receivers often default to DMS because pilots, mariners, and field surveyors are trained to read charts with minute and second tick marks. Most devices also let you switch to Decimal Degrees or degrees-and-decimal-minutes in the settings.
Can DMS seconds be 60 or higher?
Strictly, seconds should be less than 60. If a calculation produces 60 seconds exactly, it should roll over to one extra minute. Our converter validates that seconds stay below 60 and minutes stay below 60 to prevent ambiguous inputs.
How accurate is a DMS coordinate with seconds to 4 decimal places?
Four decimal places on the seconds field equals 0.0001/3600 of a degree, or about 3.1 millimetres at the equator. That is far more precise than consumer GPS, so it is adequate for professional surveying, drone mapping, and engineering layout.
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