Latitude and longitude formats
For use in the Bearing and Distance Calculator.
Signed degrees format (DDD.dddd)
Use this format when high precision is needed. A latitude or longitude with 8 decimal places pinpoints a location to within 1 millimeter,( 1/16 inch).
- Precede South latitudes and West longitudes with a minus sign.
- Latitudes range from -90 to 90.
- Longitudes range from -180 to 180.
41.25 and -120.9762
-31.96 and 115.84
90 and 0 (North Pole)
DMS + compass direction formats
These formats pinpoint a location to within one second, which is approximately 100 feet (30 m). For the following formats:
- Latitudes range from 0 to 90.
- Longitudes range from 0 to 180.
- Use N, S, E or W as the last character, which represents a compass direction North, South, East or West.
Degrees minutes seconds formats (DDD MM SS + compass direction)
41 25 01N and 120 58 57W
41°25'01"N and 120°58'57"W
412501N and 1205857W
Degrees minutes formats (DDD MM + compass direction)
41 25N and 120 58W
41°25'N and 120°58'W
Degrees only formats (DDD + compass direction)
41 N and 120 W
41°N and 120°W
90S and 0E (South Pole)
Bearing formats
- Bearings range from 0 to 360.
- 0 is north, 90 is east, 180 is south and 270 is wwest.
- Either decimal bearing or DMS formats can be used.
225 (bearing southwest)
354.43
79.0654
142 15 55
142°15'55"