The three notations
| Name | Example | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal degrees (DD) | 37.4220000, -122.0840000 | Web maps, GeoJSON, KML, most apps and spreadsheets |
| Degrees decimal minutes (DMM) | N 37° 25.320′, W 122° 5.040′ | Handheld GPS units, marine and aviation charts, geocaching |
| Degrees minutes seconds (DMS) | 37° 25′ 19.20″ N, 122° 5′ 2.40″ W | Deeds, survey plats, topographic maps, older records |
There are 60 minutes (′) in a degree and 60 seconds (″) in a minute. All three describe exactly the same point; they only differ in how the fraction of a degree is written.
DD = D + M/60 + S/3600 (negative for S and W) DMM: M = (|DD| − D) × 60 DMS: M = floor((|DD| − D) × 60); S = ((|DD| − D) × 60 − M) × 60
What the converter accepts
It uses the same parsing rules as the Land Measure app’s coordinate tools:
- One, two or three numbers: degrees; degrees and decimal minutes; or degrees, minutes and decimal seconds. Separators can be spaces,
°,′,',″,"or:. - A hemisphere letter at the start or the end (
N 37 25.32or37 25.32 N), or a sign. A minus with N or E, or a plus with S or W, is rejected as contradictory. - Minutes and seconds must be under 60, and only the last number may have decimals. Latitude must be within ±90°, longitude within ±180°.
- Decimal commas and non-Latin digits (for example Arabic-Indic or Devanagari) are read correctly.
Rounding is careful at the edges: 12.999999999° becomes 13° 0′ 0.00″, never 12° 59′ 60.00″. For a longer explanation with common mistakes, read DMS vs decimal degrees.
Worked example
Convert −122.084° (a longitude) to DMS: drop the sign and note “W”. Degrees = 122. Minutes = 0.084 × 60 = 5.04 → 5′. Seconds = 0.04 × 60 = 2.4″. Result: 122° 5′ 2.40″ W. In DMM it is 122° 5.04000′ W.