use google maps with co-ordinates

[+zannieandjazzy]

Hello all,

 

So I thought I'd worked out how to do it, but when I put the following in from my iphone because it doesn't have a degree key (input exactly as typed):

 

n 51 15.360 w 000 18.200

 

It returns

 

51°15'21.6"N 0°18'12.0"W

 

Can someone please give me the idiot's guide to doing this in google maps? Is going to be quite important for trying some puzzle caches. Is driving me bonkers

 

Thanks

 

Zannie

Edited October 12, 2014 by zannieandjazzy

[Keystone]

Both sets of coordinates are describing the same spot on the earth.

 

The first, as input from you, is in Decimal Minutes format. The second, as used by Google Maps for a default option, is in Degrees-Minutes-Seconds (DMS) format.

 

Knowing that, are you OK? If you are just trying to see where a puzzle solution derived in Decimal Minutes will take you, well, you're there. If you're trying to do something else, let us know what that is.

[+zannieandjazzy]

Both sets of coordinates are describing the same spot on the earth.

 

The first, as input from you, is in Decimal Minutes format. The second, as used by Google Maps for a default option, is in Degrees-Minutes-Seconds (DMS) format.

 

Knowing that, are you OK? If you are just trying to see where a puzzle solution derived in Decimal Minutes will take you, well, you're there. If you're trying to do something else, let us know what that is.

 

I don't really understand the different types of formats - I've only ever used DMS and so the decimal minutes stuff is a mystery and I don't know how to tell what various cache owners have used in their puzzles. I've just messaged one CO who has one that ends .657 which confused me no end because I don't understand how it can be over 60 seconds. Is there a guide somewhere? With the example I gave, I was trying to get 51°15'36"N 0°18'20"W

[+K13]

30 seconds = .500 minute

 

15 seconds = .250 minutes

 

45 seconds = .750 minutes

 

x seconds/60 = .y minutes

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Decimal minutes are just what it implies... not seconds, but tenths of a minute.

 

Easier to compute using base 10 rather than base 60.

[+zannieandjazzy]

Decimal minutes are just what it implies... not seconds, but tenths of a minute.

 

Easier to compute using base 10 rather than base 60.

 

Excellent, thanks, makes lots of sense and should get me sorted on the puzzle I was looking at.

 

I am left with one issue - if I have a traditional set, e.g xxD yyM zzzS and I am using a device without the degree symbol, how do I input that into google maps?

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Decimal minutes are just what it implies... not seconds, but tenths of a minute.

 

Easier to compute using base 10 rather than base 60.

 

Excellent, thanks, makes lots of sense and should get me sorted on the puzzle I was looking at.

 

I am left with one issue - if I have a traditional set, e.g xxD yyM zzzS and I am using a device without the degree symbol, how do I input that into google maps?

Generally most any program or app that you enter it to really doesn't need any symbols... assuming that you do follow one of the proper formats. Just as entering such into a GPSr, it knows what you mean w/o the symbols.