Distance Between Two Points Calculator In Meters

Haversine Formula:

\[ Distance = 6371 \times \arccos(\sin(lat1) \sin(lat2) + \cos(lat1) \cos(lat2) \cos(\Delta lon)) \]

Latitude 1:

degrees

Longitude 1:

degrees

Latitude 2:

degrees

Longitude 2:

degrees

Distance (m):

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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:

\[ Distance = 6371 \times \arccos(\sin(lat1) \sin(lat2) + \cos(lat1) \cos(lat2) \cos(\Delta lon)) \]

Where:

\( lat1, lat2 \) — Latitude coordinates in radians
\( \Delta lon \) — Difference in longitude coordinates in radians
\( 6371 \) — Earth's radius in kilometers
Result is converted from kilometers to meters

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of the Earth, providing accurate distance calculations along the great-circle path.

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Accurate distance calculation between geographic points is essential for navigation systems, mapping applications, logistics planning, and geographic information systems (GIS).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude values between -90° and 90°, longitude values between -180° and 180°. Use decimal degrees format for precise calculations. The calculator automatically converts degrees to radians.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Haversine instead of Euclidean distance?
A: Haversine accounts for Earth's curvature, providing accurate great-circle distances, while Euclidean distance assumes a flat surface and is inaccurate over long distances.

Q2: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: The formula is very accurate for most practical purposes, with errors typically less than 0.5% for distances up to 20,000 km.

Q3: What is the maximum distance that can be calculated?
A: The formula works for any distance on Earth, from a few meters to the maximum possible (approximately 20,000 km for antipodal points).

Q4: Does the formula account for altitude differences?
A: No, the Haversine formula calculates horizontal distance only and does not consider elevation differences between points.

Q5: What coordinate system should I use?
A: Use WGS84 coordinates (standard GPS coordinates) for best results. Ensure coordinates are in decimal degrees format.