What is a Distance Calculator?

Distance Calculator is a free online service to determine straight-line distance in three modes: 2D (plane), 3D (space), and geographic (great-circle distance on Earth) using latitude/longitude. The service was developed for students, engineers, planners, and travelers needing quick, accurate answers without doing any math! Simply enter two points (or pick them on the map) and the calculator will report the distance in a consistent and timely manner. Common uses include scoping routes, laying out sites, drone/flight plans, and geometry questions.

How Does the Distance Calculator Work?

1. Select distance type: 2D (x,y), 3D (x,y,z), or geographic (lat, lon).
2. Enter coordinates:
   • 2D/3D → (x₁,y₁[,z₁]) and (x₂,y₂[,z₂])
   • Geographic → (lat₁,lon₁) and (lat₂,lon₂) in decimal degrees (e.g., 28.6139, 77.2090).
3. Select units: kilometers, miles, or meters.
4. Click Calculate, and see the distance instantly.

Example: 2D from (1,2) to (5,7) → distance ≈ 6.403. Geographic from Delhi (28.6139, 77.2090) to Mumbai (19.0760, 72.8777) → great-circle distance ≈ 1,140 km (approx).

Formulas Used

• 2D (Euclidean):

  d = √[(x2 – x1)² + (y2 – y1)²]

• 3D (Euclidean):

  d = √[(x2 – x1)² + (y2 – y1)² + (z2 – z1)²]

• Geographic (Haversine):

  d = 2r × arcsin(√[sin²((φ2−φ1)/2) + cos(φ1)cos(φ2)sin²((λ2−λ1)/2)])

where φ = latitude in radians, λ = longitude in radians, and r = Earth’s mean radius (≈ 6,371 km or 3,959 mi). Haversine provides accurate great-circle distances for most use cases.

Key Features of Calcify's Free Distance Calculator

• Three modes - 2D, 3D, geographic great-circle distance
• Map or coordinates as input - you can paste lat/lon or select points interactively
• Flexible units - kilometers, miles, or meters, all consistently converted
• Accurate - uses Euclidean (2D and 3D) and Haversine (geographic) distance calculations
• Fast and responsive - good performance on either mobile and desktop
• Practical outputs - good for coursework, engineering design, travel estimates, and the verification of logistics

Benefits of Distance Calculator

• Saves time - instantaneous results; no need for manual derivations or to manage spreadsheets
• Reduces errors - uses established formulas and provides consistent units
• Improved planning - estimate travel distances, line-of-sight distances and conditions, and on-site scales/distances
• Teaches and learns: generates clear visualizations of straight-line vs path distances, and core ideas in coordinate geometry
• 'A field tool' - makes quick checks possible when practicing in the field for surveying, mapping, and inspections