Decimal Degree and Degree-Minute-Second Form There are two basic forms for expressing degrees: 1. Decimal Degrees (DD) 2. Degree-Minute-Second (DMS) An essential skill in Trigonometry is to be able to convert from DD to DMS and from DMS to DD.

Basic Conversions 1 degree = 60 minutes 1 minute = 60 seconds 1 degree = 3600 seconds

Convert DD to DMS  Example 1: Convert 0.5° to Minutes 0.5 Degrees 1 degree = 60 minutes 30 minutes

 Example 2: Convert ° to Degree-Minute-Second form degrees 1 degree = 60 minutes 38 degrees, minutes

1 minute = 60 seconds 38 degrees, 25 minutes, 37.2 seconds

Convert DMS to DD  Example 3: Convert 30' to Degrees 30 Minutes 1 minute= 1/60 of 1 degree 0.5 degrees

 Example 4: Convert 28°32'45“ to Decimal Degree form 28 degrees, 32 minutes, 45 seconds 1 minute = 1/60 degree 1 second = 1/3600 degree degrees (thousandth)