Calculate Walking Distance Between Two Points

Haversine Formula:

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

Latitude Point 1:

degrees

Longitude Point 1:

degrees

Latitude Point 2:

degrees

Longitude Point 2:

degrees

Walking 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:

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

Where:

\( d \) — Distance between points (km)
\( r \) — Earth's radius (6371 km)
\( \phi_1, \phi_2 \) — Latitude of point 1 and point 2 in radians
\( \lambda_1, \lambda_2 \) — Longitude of point 1 and point 2 in radians
\( \Delta\phi \) — Difference between latitudes
\( \Delta\lambda \) — Difference between longitudes

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of the Earth, providing more accurate distance calculations than flat-surface approximations.

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Accurate distance calculation is crucial for navigation, route planning, logistics, and various location-based services. The Haversine formula provides a good approximation for walking distances between two points.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal degrees format. Valid ranges are -90 to 90 for latitude and -180 to 180 for longitude.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: The formula provides good accuracy for most purposes, typically within 0.5% of the actual distance, assuming a spherical Earth.

Q2: Does this calculate walking distance or straight-line distance?
A: This calculates the great-circle distance (shortest distance between two points on a sphere), which is the straight-line distance. Actual walking distance may vary based on terrain and available paths.

Q3: Can I use this for driving distances?
A: This calculates straight-line distance, not road distance. For driving directions, use mapping services that account for road networks.

Q4: What coordinate format should I use?
A: Use decimal degrees format (e.g., 40.7128, -74.0060 for New York City). If you have degrees-minutes-seconds, convert them to decimal first.

Q5: Why is the Earth's radius set to 6371 km?
A: This is the mean radius of the Earth, providing a good balance for distance calculations across different locations.