A point is specified as having a celestial latitude of 45 deg 30 min 00 sec N. This is ewuivalent to haw many degrees as a decimal fraction? 45.5 or 45.3?
Since 30 minutes is half a degree, the correct decimal is 45.5
To convert the celestial latitude from degrees, minutes, and seconds to decimal fraction, we need to understand the relationship between these units.
First, we convert the minutes and seconds to their equivalent fractions of a degree:
1 minute (') = 1/60 degree (°)
1 second (") = 1/3600 degree (°)
For the given celestial latitude of 45 deg 30 min 00 sec N:
45 degrees remain the same.
30 minutes = (30/60) degrees = 0.5 degrees
00 seconds = (0/3600) degrees = 0 degrees
Adding these together:
45 degrees + 0.5 degrees + 0 degrees = 45.5 degrees
Therefore, the celestial latitude of 45 deg 30 min 00 sec N is equivalent to 45.5 degrees as a decimal fraction.