Calculate Direct Distance Between 2 Addresses

Haversine Formula:

\[ D = 2R \times \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin^2\left(\frac{\Delta\phi}{2}\right) + \cos(\phi_1) \times \cos(\phi_2) \times \sin^2\left(\frac{\Delta\lambda}{2}\right)}\right) \]

Latitude 1:

Longitude 1:

Latitude 2:

Longitude 2:

Distance:

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1. What is the Haversine Formula?

The Haversine formula calculates the great-circle distance between two points on a sphere given their longitudes and latitudes. It's particularly useful for calculating distances between geographic coordinates on Earth.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Haversine formula:

\[ D = 2R \times \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin^2\left(\frac{\Delta\phi}{2}\right) + \cos(\phi_1) \times \cos(\phi_2) \times \sin^2\left(\frac{\Delta\lambda}{2}\right)}\right) \]

Where:

\( D \) — Distance between points (km)
\( R \) — Earth's radius (6371 km)
\( \phi_1, \phi_2 \) — Latitude of point 1 and 2 in radians
\( \lambda_1, \lambda_2 \) — Longitude of point 1 and 2 in radians
\( \Delta\phi \) — Difference in latitude
\( \Delta\lambda \) — Difference in longitude

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of Earth and provides the shortest distance between two points (great-circle distance).

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Accurate distance calculation is essential for navigation systems, geographic analysis, logistics planning, and various scientific applications involving spatial data.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal degrees. Latitude ranges from -90° to 90°, longitude from -180° to 180°. Positive values for North/East, negative for South/West.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: The formula assumes a spherical Earth and provides accuracy within 0.5% for most practical purposes. For higher precision, ellipsoidal models are used.

Q2: What is the difference between great-circle and rhumb line distance?
A: Great-circle distance is the shortest path between two points on a sphere, while rhumb line maintains a constant bearing.

Q3: Can I use this for navigation?
A: This provides straight-line distance. For actual navigation routes, consider terrain, roads, and other obstacles.

Q4: What coordinate format should I use?
A: Use decimal degrees (e.g., 40.7128° instead of 40°42'46"). Most GPS devices and mapping services provide coordinates in this format.

Q5: Does this account for elevation differences?
A: No, this calculates horizontal distance only. Elevation differences would require additional calculations.