kümnendkraade

Kümnendkraade, often translated as "decimal degrees," is a system for expressing angles using a decimal fraction of a full circle. This system divides a circle into 360 degrees, and each degree can be further subdivided into tenths, hundredths, and so on, using the decimal system. This contrasts with the more traditional sexagesimal system, which divides each degree into 60 minutes, and each minute into 60 seconds.

The primary advantage of decimal degrees is its compatibility with mathematical calculations, especially those performed using computers and calculators. Standard trigonometric functions and geometric formulas are typically designed to work with decimal inputs. Converting between decimal degrees and degrees, minutes, seconds (DMS) is straightforward. To convert from DMS to decimal degrees, minutes are divided by 60 and seconds are divided by 3600, with the results then added to the whole number of degrees. Conversely, to convert decimal degrees to DMS, the fractional part is multiplied by 60 to get the minutes, and the fractional part of the minutes is then multiplied by 60 to get the seconds.

Decimal degrees are widely used in fields such as cartography, navigation, surveying, astronomy, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Many GPS devices and mapping software utilize decimal degrees for representing latitude and longitude coordinates. This standardization simplifies data processing and analysis in these scientific and technical disciplines.