How to Convert a Percent Grade to Slope in Degrees

Percent grade and slope in degrees both indicate the amount that elevation changes over a certain distance, which determines how steep a hill or slope is. Percent grade denotes the percentage of change in the elevation--for example, if a hill rises 20 feet over a 100-foot distance, it has a 20 percent slope. The slope in degrees indicates the angle between the surface of a hill and level ground.

You can record a hill's slope in degrees or percent.

1. Divide the percent grade by 100.

2. Take the arctangent of this number using a scientific calculator. Your calculator may have an "atan" button, or you may need to press the "2nd" or "inv" button, then the "tan" button.

3. Write "°" after the result to indicate degrees.