Coordinate Converter (Decimal ↔ DMS)
Move a single coordinate between decimal degrees and degrees-minutes-seconds, in either direction, with the right N/S or E/W hemisphere applied automatically.
DMS result
Decimal degrees result
Two ways to write the same place
A position on Earth never changes, but the notation does. Software, APIs, and map apps lean on decimal degrees because a single signed number is easy to store and paste. Charts, survey plaques, and much of aviation and marine practice still use degrees, minutes, and seconds, where a coordinate reads almost like a sentence.
Converting between them by hand is fiddly and easy to get wrong, especially the sign-to-hemisphere swap. Enter a value on either side and the converter does the arithmetic and the N/S/E/W bookkeeping, so you can copy a coordinate from a chart into an app — or the reverse — without a slip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between decimal degrees and DMS?
Both describe the same position. Decimal degrees write a coordinate as a single number, like 40.446195°, which is easy for computers and spreadsheets. Degrees-minutes-seconds splits it into whole degrees, minutes (1/60 of a degree), and seconds (1/60 of a minute), like 40°26'46.3", the form printed on paper maps and nautical charts.
How do I convert decimal degrees to DMS?
Take the whole-number part as the degrees. Multiply the decimal remainder by 60 and take the whole part as the minutes. Multiply that remainder by 60 again to get the seconds. For example 40.446195° gives 40°, then 0.446195 × 60 = 26.77 minutes, then 0.77 × 60 ≈ 46.3 seconds.
How are hemispheres handled?
Decimal degrees use a sign: positive latitudes are north and negative are south; positive longitudes are east and negative are west. DMS uses a letter instead — N, S, E, or W — so -0.1278° longitude becomes 0°7'40"W. The converter sets the hemisphere for you and reads it back when going the other way.
Which format do GPS devices and map apps use?
Most apps accept both, but they display and share positions in decimal degrees because it is compact and unambiguous to paste. Aviation and marine charts, survey markers, and older references tend to use DMS, so being able to move between them quickly is handy.
Why must minutes and seconds be under 60?
Minutes and seconds are sexagesimal — base 60 — just like clock time. Sixty minutes make one degree and sixty seconds make one minute, so any value of 60 or more should carry over into the next unit. The converter rejects out-of-range minutes and seconds to catch typos.
Educational reference only. Always confirm a converted coordinate against the datum (such as WGS 84) your map or device expects.