Distance Between Cities Calculator

Distance Calculation:

\[ \text{Distance} = \sqrt{(lat_2 - lat_1)^2 + (long_2 - long_1)^2} \times \text{conversion factor} \]

Distance:

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1. What is the Distance Calculator?

The Distance Between Cities Calculator calculates the straight-line (as the crow flies) distance between two geographic locations. It uses latitude and longitude coordinates to determine the distance in miles or kilometers.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Haversine formula:

\[ a = \sin²(\Delta\varphi/2) + \cos\varphi_1 \cdot \cos\varphi_2 \cdot \sin²(\Delta\lambda/2) \] \[ c = 2 \cdot \text{atan2}(\sqrt{a}, \sqrt{1-a}) \] \[ d = R \cdot c \]

Where:

\( \varphi \) — Latitude
\( \lambda \) — Longitude
\( R \) — Earth's radius (mean radius = 6,371km)

Explanation: The formula calculates the great-circle distance between two points on a sphere given their longitudes and latitudes.

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Knowing the distance between cities is important for travel planning, logistics, transportation, and geographic analysis.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the names of two cities and select your preferred unit (miles or kilometers). For best results, use well-known city names.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is this driving distance?
A: No, this calculates straight-line (great circle) distance. Driving distance would be longer due to roads and terrain.

Q2: How accurate is this calculator?
A: Very accurate for straight-line distance. Actual travel distance may vary based on route.

Q3: Can I use addresses instead of cities?
A: This version uses city names only. For precise address-to-address distance, a more advanced geocoding system would be needed.

Q4: What's the maximum distance that can be calculated?
A: The calculator can measure any distance on Earth, from a few miles to the other side of the globe.

Q5: Why are my results slightly different from other calculators?
A: Small variations can occur due to different Earth radius values used or rounding in intermediate calculations.