Distance Calculator

This tool calculates the distance between two points, either in a 2D plane or on the Earth’s surface.

What is Distance?

Distance is a numerical measurement of how far apart objects or points are. In physics or everyday usage, distance may refer to a physical length or an estimation based on other criteria (e.g. “two counties over”).

This calculator provides two specific types of distance:

2D Distance: The straight-line (Euclidean) distance between two points (x, y) on a flat plane.
Earth Distance: The shortest distance (great-circle distance) between two points on the surface of the Earth, specified by their latitude and longitude.

Calculate 2D Distance

Point 1 (x1, y1)

x1 y1

Point 2 (x2, y2)

x2 y2

Calculate Earth (Great-Circle) Distance

Point 1 (Lat, Lon)

Latitude 1 Longitude 1

Point 2 (Lat, Lon)

Latitude 2 Longitude 2

How to Use This Calculator

This calculator has two modes:

1. 2D Distance (First Tab):
- Enter the coordinates (x1, y1) for the first point.
- Enter the coordinates (x2, y2) for the second point.
- Click “Calculate” to find the straight-line distance between them.
2. Earth Distance (Second Tab):
- Enter the Latitude and Longitude for the first point (in decimal degrees).
- Enter the Latitude and Longitude for the second point.
- Click “Calculate” to find the great-circle distance (shortest path) between them on the Earth’s surface in both kilometers (km) and miles (mi).