The notation 17-36 N and 121-42 E represents which geographic notation?

• A. Degrees and seconds
• B. Degrees and decimal minutes
• C. Degrees and minutes
• D. Radians

Answer: (C)

Geographic coordinates are often expressed in degrees and minutes. In this format, the numbers before the dash are degrees and the numbers after are minutes, with N/S and E/W indicating the hemisphere. So 17-36 N means 17 degrees, 36 minutes north; 121-42 E means 121 degrees, 42 minutes east. Since there is no seconds or decimal part, this is the degrees-and-minutes form.