Abstract: The present invention relates to a position detecting method and its apparatus that is capable of improving detecting accuracy in a laser sensor using a Charged Coupled Device (CCD) as a light receiving element. A sum of products of an output C.sub.i of each cell in a light receiving element and a cell position X.sub.i is obtained, and the cell outputs C.sub.i are added. When the cell output C.sub.i exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a counter is reset. When the cell output C.sub.i decreases down below the threshold value, the sample hold signal SH is counted. When the counted value of the counter becomes a predetermined value, a division circuit divides the above-obtained sum of products by the above addition value to obtain a center of gravity of the sum of products as a light receiving position. Then, thus obtained value is stored in a latch buffer.