Chapter 7: Problem 60
Convert each angle to a decimal in degrees. Round your answer to two decimal places. \(61^{\circ} 42^{\prime} 21^{\prime \prime}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
61.71°
Step by step solution
01
Understand the components
An angle given in degrees, minutes, and seconds can be converted to a decimal degree. In this problem, the angle is given as \(61^{\text{°}}\), \(42^{\prime}\) (minutes), and \(21^{\prime \prime}\) (seconds).
02
Convert seconds to decimal degrees
There are 3600 seconds in a degree. Therefore, to convert 21 seconds to degrees: \[ \text{degrees} = \frac{21}{3600} \]
03
Calculate the seconds to degrees
Solve the equation from the previous step: \[ \frac{21}{3600} = 0.0058333 \text{°} \]
04
Convert minutes to decimal degrees
There are 60 minutes in a degree. Therefore, to convert 42 minutes to degrees: \[ \text{degrees} = \frac{42}{60} \]
05
Calculate the minutes to degrees
Solve the equation from the previous step: \[ \frac{42}{60} = 0.7 \text{°} \]
06
Add all components together
Sum the degrees, the minutes converted to degrees, and the seconds converted to degrees: \[ 61 + 0.7 + 0.0058333 = 61.7058333 \]
07
Round to two decimal places
Round the final result to two decimal places: \[ 61.7058333 \rightarrow 61.71 \]
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
degrees to decimal conversion
When converting angles from degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS) to a decimal format, we break down the components, making the calculation simpler. First, you'll need to understand the parts: degrees (°), minutes ('), and seconds (''). Each part represents a fraction of a degree, with:
- 1 degree = 60 minutes
- 1 minute = 60 seconds
- 1 degree = 3600 seconds
angle measurement
Angles are fundamental in various fields like mathematics, engineering, and astronomy. They are typically measured in degrees (°) but can also be represented in minutes (') and seconds ('') for greater precision. Each small part (minute and second) represents a fraction of a degree, allowing very precise measurements.
To understand this conceptually:
To understand this conceptually:
- 60 minutes make up 1 degree.
- 60 seconds make up 1 minute.
rounding decimal places
After converting an angle to a decimal degree, you'll need to round it to a specific number of decimal places for practical use. Rounding helps simplify the number while maintaining a close approximation. Usually, rounding to two decimal places gives balance between precision and simplicity.
Here’s a quick method to round:
Here’s a quick method to round:
- First, look at the third decimal place.
- If it's 5 or greater, increase the second decimal place by 1.
- If it's less than 5, keep the second decimal place as is.