Walking Distance Calculator UK Postcode

Haversine Formula:

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

Latitude 1:

degrees

Longitude 1:

degrees

Latitude 2:

degrees

Longitude 2:

degrees

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 geographical coordinates on Earth.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Haversine formula:

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

Where:

\( R \) — 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 between latitudes
\( \Delta\lambda \) — Difference between longitudes

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of the Earth to calculate the shortest distance between two points (as the crow flies).

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Accurate distance calculation between UK postcodes is essential for route planning, logistics, travel time estimation, and various location-based services.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal degrees format. Valid ranges: latitude (-90 to 90), longitude (-180 to 180). The calculator provides straight-line distance in kilometers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is this walking distance or straight-line distance?
A: This calculates straight-line (as the crow flies) distance. Actual walking distance may be longer due to roads and terrain.

Q2: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: Very accurate for most purposes, with errors typically less than 0.5% for distances up to 650 km.

Q3: Can I use this for any geographical coordinates?
A: Yes, the formula works for any two points on Earth using valid latitude and longitude coordinates.

Q4: Why use kilometers instead of miles?
A: The calculator uses kilometers as it's the standard unit for scientific calculations. You can convert to miles by multiplying by 0.621371.

Q5: Does this account for elevation differences?
A: No, the Haversine formula calculates horizontal distance only and does not account for elevation changes.