Calculate Position From Latitude Longitude

How to Use This Calculator

Using this calculator is straightforward. Follow these steps to get accurate position calculations:

1. Enter the latitude and longitude of your starting point in decimal degrees.
2. Enter the latitude and longitude of your destination point in decimal degrees.
3. Select the unit of measurement (kilometers or miles).
4. Click the "Calculate" button to see the distance between the two points.
5. Review the result and use the information as needed.

The calculator will display the distance between the two points in the selected unit, along with a visual representation of the coordinates on a map.

Formula Explained

The distance between two points on the Earth's surface can be calculated using the Haversine formula, which accounts for the Earth's curvature. The formula is as follows:

Where:

• φ1, λ1 are the latitude and longitude of the first point
• φ2, λ2 are the latitude and longitude of the second point
• Δφ = φ2 − φ1
• Δλ = λ2 − λ1
• R is the Earth's radius (mean radius = 6,371 km)

This formula provides an accurate distance measurement between two points on the Earth's surface.

Worked Examples

Let's look at a couple of examples to see how the calculator works in practice.

Example 1: Distance Between New York and Los Angeles

Coordinates:

• New York: 40.7128° N, 74.0060° W
• Los Angeles: 34.0522° N, 118.2437° W

Using the calculator with these coordinates and selecting kilometers as the unit, the result will show the approximate distance between New York and Los Angeles as 3,935 kilometers.

Example 2: Distance Between London and Paris

Coordinates:

• London: 51.5074° N, 0.1278° W
• Paris: 48.8566° N, 2.3522° E

Using the calculator with these coordinates and selecting miles as the unit, the result will show the approximate distance between London and Paris as 211 miles.