code: def dmsStrToDeg(dec):
      
      sign_deg, min, sec = dec.split(':')
      sign = sign_deg[0:1]
      if sign not in ('+', '-'):
          sign = '+'
          deg = sign_deg
      else:
          deg = sign_deg[1:]
      dec_deg = decTimeToDeg(sign, int(deg), int(min), float(sec))
      return dec_deg
docs: Convert a string representation of DEC into a float in degrees.