Converting a Decimal Degree Value to Degrees, Minutes, Seconds

 Last reviewed: August 20, 1995
Article ID: Q73023
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.x, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0, 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 3.x, 4.x, 5.0, 5.0a
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0

SUMMARY

This article provides a method to convert a degree value stored in decimal format (base 10) to degrees, minutes, and seconds as text. Microsoft Excel does not provide a number format to do this.

MORE INFORMATION

Fractions of a degree are commonly expressed in units called minutes and seconds. One degree is equivalent to 60 minutes, and similarly one minute equals 60 seconds. These units are most commonly used with nautical charts and/or navigation.

The following function macro will accept an angle formatted as a decimal number and convert it to degrees, minutes, and seconds as text. 

   A1:     Convert_Degree
   A2:     =ARGUMENT("Decimal_Deg")
   A3:     =RESULT(2)
   A4:     Degrees=INT(Decimal_Deg)
   A5:     Minutes=(Decimal_Deg-Degrees)*60
   A6:     Seconds=ROUND((Minutes-INT(Minutes))*60,0)
   A7:     =RETURN(Degrees&"~ "&INT(Minutes)&"' "&Seconds&"""")
For example, entering =Convert_Degree(10.46) into a worksheet returns 10~ 27' 36" (10 degrees, 27 minutes, 36 seconds).

REFERENCES

"User's Guide," version 4.0, pages 210-211 "User's Guide," version 3.0, pages 574-75

KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 7.00 3.0 3.00 4.0 4.00 4.0a 4.00a 5.00

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Last reviewed: August 20, 1995
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