Calculate Distance Between Points On A Plane In Matlab

MATLAB Distance Formula:

\[ \text{dist} = \sqrt{\sum{(p1 - p2).^2}} \]

Point 1 X-coordinate:

Point 1 Y-coordinate:

Point 2 X-coordinate:

Point 2 Y-coordinate:

Units:

Distance Between Points:

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1. What is Euclidean Distance?

The Euclidean distance between two points in a plane is the length of the straight line connecting them. In MATLAB, this is calculated using the formula:

\[ \text{dist} = \sqrt{(x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2} \]

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator implements the MATLAB distance formula:

\[ \text{dist} = \sqrt{\sum{(p1 - p2).^2}} \]

Where:

\( p1 \) — First point coordinates [x1, y1]
\( p2 \) — Second point coordinates [x2, y2]
The result is in the selected units

Explanation: The formula calculates the straight-line distance between two points in 2D space by finding the square root of the sum of squared differences between corresponding coordinates.

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Euclidean distance is fundamental in geometry, computer graphics, machine learning, and spatial analysis. It's used in clustering algorithms, image processing, and pathfinding.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the coordinates of both points and select the desired units. The calculator will compute the distance using the same method as MATLAB's vectorized operations.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can this calculator handle 3D points?
A: This version calculates 2D distances only. For 3D points, the formula extends to include the z-coordinate.

Q2: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The calculation is mathematically precise, though practical accuracy depends on input precision.

Q3: What's the MATLAB equivalent code?
A: distance = norm(p1 - p2); or distance = sqrt(sum((p1 - p2).^2));

Q4: Can I calculate distance between multiple points?
A: This calculator handles two points at a time. In MATLAB, you can use pdist2 for multiple points.

Q5: Does the unit selection affect the calculation?
A: No, the mathematical calculation is unit-agnostic. The unit selection only affects how the result is displayed.