Why are degrees minutes seconds and decimal degrees both used for measurements in manufacturing, isn’t one more simple and just as accurate?
In: Engineering
>ELI5: Why are degrees minutes seconds and decimal degrees both used for measurements in manufacturing, isn’t one more simple and just as accurate?
I’m unsure as to what you mean by that. There is no choice to be made here, these are all fractions of the same unit system, aren’t they?. Could you elaborate?
Edit: Nevermind, it appears I misunderstood.
Decimal degrees is simpler but degrees, minutes and seconds are the traditional (old-fashioned) way. We’re in a transition period. In navigation they often use degrees and decimal minutes, because a minute is a nautical mile.
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