Showing posts with label Tips and Tricks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips and Tricks. Show all posts

How to convert Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS) to decimal degrees on calculator application?

Tuesday, 15 May 2012 Posted by 37Latitude 0 comments
We all know  there are 360 degrees in a complete circle. Each degree splits up into 60 parts and each part being 1/60 of a degree these are known as minutes. Each minute is still split up into 60 parts and each part being 1/60 of a minute these parts are called seconds.
In DMS values are represented by using symbols such as:
  1. Degree with 0 (superscripted zero)
  2. Minutes with ‘ (single quote )
  3. Seconds with ’’ (double quot)
    So for example: 75 degree, 25 minutes and 33.353 seconds are represented as 75025’33.353’’. 


    Conversion of Degree Minute Second (DMS) to Decimal Degrees (DD) is very simple by using scientific calculator application in your computer. Before step into the conversion using calculator, let’s check how it can be done manually.

    In 75025’33.353’’, there are 75 full degrees, 25 minutes- each 1/60 if a degree and 33.353 seconds- each 1/60 of 1/60 of a degree. Hence the decimal degree of 75025’33.353’’ is equal to:

    750+(25*1/60)+(33.353*1/60*1/60)=75+0.4167+0.009265=75.425965=75.426 (limit to three digits)

    Convertion using scientific calculator:
    • Locate the calculator application in your computer and click open 
    • Normally the application open a standard calculator
    • In ‘View’ menu of the calculator set the view as ‘Scientific'
     

    • Enter the value 75025’33.353’’ as 75.2533353 (Concatenate minutes and seconds)
    • Set the ‘Inv’ checkbox checked
    • Click ‘dms’ button to calculate the decimal degree of the value entered.

    The Result is:


     Once you format the decimal places to three digits then the result become:75.426.
    Labels:

    How to insert degree symbols in Degrees Minutes Seconds representation

    Posted by 37Latitude 0 comments
    Minutes and seconds are not an irritating thing while typing a coordinate value in degrees minutes and seconds, since they are represented with single and double quotes respectively. But that is not the case of degrees; we often depend on Microsoft Word or Character Map to represent a degree value.  The following steps help to find a solution for this.

    For every character there is a Unicode value and a Decimal value associated with it. If you do not know the exact values for you character (this is applicable to other special characters also), you can use Character Map to find this.
     
    Go to Start>Accessories>System Tools>Character Map to open Character Map.


    Now click on the character (°), you can see the Unicode and corresponding decimal values at the bottom of the window. If you cannot find the character, click on ‘Advanced view’ check box, type ‘degree’ in the search box and click search.

    Now open a Notepad, press ‘NumLock’ key on the keyboard to activate number key pad, hold on Alt key and type 0176 and then release Alt key.  This will place a degree symbol at your cursor location.

    Either Alt+0176 or Alt+248 can be used to add degree symbol to represent coordinate values in Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS). 

    Read more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degree_symbol
    Labels:
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

    .

    .
    All content provided on this blog is for information purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information. These terms and conditions of use are subject to change at anytime and without notice.

    All copyright content on this blog remain the property of their rightful owners. If you require any copyright material on this site to be withdrawn please email to 37latitude@gmail.com for prompt removal.