# Degrees, Minutes, Seconds form (DMS)

#### makinsushi

I'm learning about degrees and radians and this came up in my homework.

Convert:

Example: 54(degrees)45(minutes)

to decimal degree form.

I know (after using the DMS function on my calculator) that the answer is 54.75

How do I do this without my calculator?

How do I convert DMS back and forth?

#### bigwave

I'm learning about degrees and radians and this came up in my homework.

Convert:

Example: 54(degrees)45(minutes)

to decimal degree form.

I know (after using the DMS function on my calculator) that the answer is 54.75

How do I do this without my calculator?

How do I convert DMS back and forth?
use the DD conversion (to get the decimal degrees)
be sure that mode set to approximate
with TI-89 anyway

Last edited:

#### jgv115

The OP said to do it without a calculator.

We have 54 and 45 minutes.

We have to convert into decimal.

How many minutes in a degree? 60.

So $$\displaystyle \frac {45}{60}$$

$$\displaystyle = 3/4$$

$$\displaystyle = 0.75$$

So that's how you get 54.75