Types of Distance Calculation
The term "distance" can mean different things depending on the context. This page offers calculators for several types:
- Driving Distance: The real-world distance you would travel along roads between two points. This is almost always longer than the straight-line distance and is calculated using complex routing algorithms.
- 2D Straight-Line Distance: The shortest distance between two points on a flat plane (like a graph). It is calculated using the distance formula, which is an application of the Pythagorean theorem: `√((x₂-x₁)² + (y₂-y₁)²)`. The 'rise' (y₂-y₁) and 'run' (x₂-x₁) components are also used to find the steepness between points, which you can explore with our Slope Calculator.
- 3D Straight-Line Distance: An extension of the 2D formula, this calculates the shortest distance between two points in a three-dimensional space: `√((x₂-x₁)² + (y₂-y₁)² + (z₂-z₁)²)`.
- Latitude and Longitude Distance (Haversine): The shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere (i.e., the Earth). This "as the crow flies" distance is calculated using the Haversine formula, which accounts for the planet's curvature.