Elevation Grade Calculator

How to use Elevation Grade Calculator?

To calculate Elevation Grade, mainly the values of Vertical distance (Rise) and Horizontal distance (Run) need to be entered in the input box.

1. Vertical distance (Rise): This represents the vertical distance between two points on the elevation. It's essentially the difference in elevation between the starting and ending points.

2. Horizontal distance (Run): This represents the horizontal distance between the two points on the elevation. It's the horizontal distance traveled to cover the vertical rise.

How to calculate grade?

The decimal grade, also known as the slope, represents the rate of change in elevation over a horizontal distance. It's calculated by dividing the vertical change (rise) by the horizontal distance (run).

Here's the formula:

Decimal Grade = Rise / Run

For example,

Imagine you're hiking on a trail and you gain 12 meters (rise) in elevation over a horizontal distance of 100 meters (run). The decimal grade would be:

Decimal Grade = 12 meters / 100 meters = 0.12

This value (0.12) indicates that for every 100 meters you travel horizontally, you gain 12 meters in elevation. A higher decimal grade signifies a steeper slope.

How to calculate Grade in percentage?

The grade percentage in an Elevation Grade Calculator is simply the decimal grade converted to a percentage. Here's how you do it:

1. Calculate the decimal grade: As explained earlier, the decimal grade is the rise divided by the run (rise / run).
2. Convert to percentage: Multiply the decimal grade by 100.

Here's the formula:

Grade Percentage = Decimal Grade * 100%

For example, if you calculated a decimal grade of 0.12 (as in the previous example), converting it to a percentage would be:

Grade Percentage = 0.12 * 100% = 12%

Therefore, the slope you're hiking on has a 12% grade, which means for every 100 meters you travel horizontally, you gain 12 meters in elevation.

How to calculate angle of elevation?

The angle of elevation in an Elevation Grade Calculator refers to the angle that the slope makes with the horizontal plane. Here's how you calculate it:

1. Calculate the decimal grade: Follow the steps mentioned previously to find the decimal grade (rise / run).

2. Use the arctangent function: The arctangent function is a mathematical function used to find the angle whose tangent is a specific value. In this case, the tangent of the angle we're looking for is the decimal grade.

3. Convert to degrees (optional): The arctangent function typically returns the angle in radians. To convert it to degrees, you can multiply the result by a conversion factor (180 degrees / π radians).

Here's the formula:

Angle of Elevation (degrees) = arctan(Decimal Grade) * 180° / π

π (pi): This represents a mathematical constant with a value of approximately 3.14159.

Example:

Let's say you calculated a decimal grade of 0.12 (representing a 12% slope). Here's how to find the angle of elevation:

• Angle of Elevation = arctan(0.12) * 180° / π
• Using a calculator or a programming language's arctangent function, you'll get an answer in radians (approximately 0.122 radians).
• To convert to degrees:
  • Angle of Elevation ≈ 0.122 radians * 180° / π ≈ 6.8 degrees (rounded to one decimal place)

Therefore, the slope you're on has an angle of elevation of approximately 6.8 degrees.