Distance Between Addresses Calculator

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:

degrees

Longitude 1:

degrees

Latitude 2:

degrees

Longitude 2:

degrees

Great-circle Distance (D):

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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:

\( D \) — Great-circle distance
\( R \) — Earth's radius (6371 km)
\( \phi_1, \phi_2 \) — Latitude of points 1 and 2 in radians
\( \lambda_1, \lambda_2 \) — Longitude of points 1 and 2 in radians
\( \Delta\phi \) — Difference in latitudes
\( \Delta\lambda \) — Difference in longitudes

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of Earth and provides the shortest distance between two points along the surface.

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Accurate distance calculation is essential for navigation systems, logistics planning, geographic analysis, and various location-based services.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal degrees. Valid ranges: latitude -90 to 90, longitude -180 to 180. The result shows the great-circle distance in kilometers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is great-circle distance?
A: The shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere, measured along the surface.

Q2: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: It's very accurate for most practical purposes, assuming a spherical Earth with radius 6371 km.

Q3: Can I use this for driving distances?
A: No, this calculates straight-line distance. Driving distances are typically longer due to roads and terrain.

Q4: What coordinate format should I use?
A: Use decimal degrees (e.g., 40.7128, -74.0060 for New York). Degrees-minutes-seconds should be converted first.

Q5: Why is Earth's radius 6371 km?
A: This is the mean radius of Earth, providing a good approximation for global distance calculations.