Degree to Gradian Converter

A degree (°) is a unit of angular measurement equal to 1/360 of a full rotation. It divides a complete circle into 360 equal parts, making it one of the most widely used angle measurements.

The degree system originated with ancient Babylonian astronomers around 2000 BCE, who used a base-60 number system and divided the circle into 360 degrees. This choice was influenced by their calendar of approximately 360 days and the convenience of 360 being divisible by many numbers. The system was later adopted by Greek astronomers and has remained standard ever since.

Degrees are universally used in navigation, surveying, engineering, architecture, and everyday applications. They're standard for compass bearings, geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude), construction angles, and in most educational contexts. Weather reports, GPS systems, and most angle-measuring tools use degrees.

A gradian (grad), also called a gon, is a unit of angular measurement where a full rotation is divided into 400 gradians. One gradian equals 1/400 of a complete circle, making a right angle equal to 100 gradians.

The gradian was introduced during the French Revolution as part of the metric system around 1795. It was designed to decimalize angle measurement, making calculations easier by using base-10 arithmetic. The system was promoted alongside other metric reforms but never achieved widespread adoption outside of surveying.

Gradians are primarily used in surveying and some European engineering applications. They're particularly common in land surveying in France, Germany, and other parts of Europe. Some surveying instruments and software support gradian measurements, though degrees remain more common globally.