1. What is the Distance Formula?

The distance formula calculates the straight-line distance between two points in a 2D plane. It's derived from the Pythagorean theorem and is fundamental in geometry, physics, and engineering.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the distance formula:

Where:

• \( d \) — Distance between points
• \( x_1, y_1 \) — Coordinates of first point
• \( x_2, y_2 \) — Coordinates of second point

Explanation: The formula calculates the hypotenuse of a right triangle formed by the differences in x and y coordinates.

3. Applications of Distance Calculation

Details: Used in navigation, computer graphics, physics (calculating displacements), machine learning (similarity measures), and many other fields.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter coordinates for two points in any order (the distance is the same regardless). Works with positive and negative values.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Does the order of points matter?
A: No, distance is commutative - the result is the same regardless of which point you enter first.

Q2: Can this be used for 3D points?
A: This calculator is for 2D only. For 3D, you would add a z-coordinate term under the square root.

Q3: What units does this use?
A: The result is in the same units as your input coordinates (meters, feet, etc.).

Q4: How precise are the calculations?
A: The calculator shows results rounded to 4 decimal places but computes with higher precision.

Q5: Can I calculate distance between geographic coordinates?
A: For Earth's surface, you would need the haversine formula that accounts for curvature.