1. What is the Distance Formula?

The distance formula calculates the straight-line distance between two points in a 2D plane. It's derived from the Pythagorean theorem and is fundamental in geometry, physics, and many applied sciences.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the distance formula:

Where:

• \( (x_1, y_1) \) — Coordinates of the first point
• \( (x_2, y_2) \) — Coordinates of the second point

Explanation: The formula calculates the hypotenuse of a right triangle formed by the differences in x and y coordinates between the two points.

3. Applications of Distance Calculation

Details: Distance calculations are used in navigation systems, computer graphics, physics simulations, game development, and geographic information systems (GIS).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the coordinates of two points in the same units. The calculator will return the distance in those same units. Works with both positive and negative coordinates.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can this calculate 3D distances?
A: This calculator is for 2D distances only. For 3D, you would need to add a z-coordinate term to the formula.

Q2: Does the order of points matter?
A: No, the distance is the same regardless of which point you consider first because the differences are squared.

Q3: What units does this use?
A: The calculator uses whatever units you input. Make sure both points use the same units.

Q4: Can I use this for geographic coordinates?
A: For small distances on Earth's surface, this works. For large distances, you should use the Haversine formula that accounts for Earth's curvature.

Q5: How precise are the results?
A: Results are rounded to 2 decimal places. For higher precision, you can enter more decimal places in your coordinates.