Miles to Degrees Calculator

Convert miles to degrees on a spherical Earth model. This calculator helps you determine how many degrees of longitude are covered by a given distance in miles.

Input Parameters

Latitude affects the conversion as Earth is not perfectly spherical.

Calculation Results

Calculation Formula

Degrees = Miles ÷ (Distance per degree at given latitude)

Where:
Distance per degree = 69.172 miles at the equator
This distance decreases as you move toward the poles.

Result

Degrees: 0.00

This is the approximate number of degrees of longitude covered by the specified distance.

Important Note

This calculation assumes a perfect sphere for Earth, which is an approximation. Actual distances may vary slightly due to Earth's ellipsoidal shape.

Miles to Degrees Calculator Usage Guide

Learn how to use the Miles to Degrees Calculator and understand the calculation principles

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter the distance in miles that you want to convert to degrees.
  2. Enter the latitude (in degrees) at which you want to calculate the conversion. This is important because the distance a mile covers in terms of longitude varies with latitude.
  3. Click the "Calculate" button to compute the result.
  4. The result will show approximately how many degrees of longitude correspond to your specified distance at the given latitude.

Understanding the Calculation

This calculator uses the following formula:

Degrees = Miles ÷ (cos(latitude) × (2 × π × Earth's radius ÷ 360°))

The Earth is approximated as a sphere with a radius of approximately 3,958.8 miles. The distance a mile covers in terms of longitude depends on the cosine of the latitude - it's greatest at the equator and decreases to zero at the poles.

Practical Applications

This calculator is useful for:

  • Navigation and mapping applications
  • Geographic information systems (GIS)
  • Planning travel routes between points with similar latitudes
  • Understanding how map scales work in different regions

Important Considerations

Keep in mind that:

  • This calculation uses a spherical Earth model, which is an approximation. For precise applications, more complex models that account for Earth's ellipsoidal shape should be used.
  • The accuracy of the result depends on the precision of your input values.
  • The conversion is most accurate near the equator and at mid-latitudes.