1. What is the Distance Between 2 Points?

The distance between two points in a 2D plane is the length of the straight line connecting them. This fundamental geometric concept is used in mathematics, physics, engineering, computer graphics, and many other fields.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the distance formula derived from the Pythagorean theorem:

Where:

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

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

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Calculating distance between points is essential in navigation, computer vision, physics simulations, game development, and geographic information systems (GIS).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter coordinates for both points in the same units. The calculator works with any consistent unit system (meters, feet, pixels, etc.).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Does the order of points matter in the calculation?
A: No, the distance is the same regardless of which point you consider first because the differences are squared.

Q2: Can this be extended to 3D space?
A: Yes, for 3D points (x₁,y₁,z₁) and (x₂,y₂,z₂), the formula becomes: √[(x₂-x₁)² + (y₂-y₁)² + (z₂-z₁)²].

Q3: What if my coordinates are in degrees (latitude/longitude)?
A: For geographic coordinates, you should use the haversine formula which accounts for Earth's curvature.

Q4: How precise is the calculation?
A: The calculator provides results rounded to 2 decimal places, but the underlying calculation uses full precision.

Q5: Can I use negative coordinates?
A: Yes, the formula works with any real number coordinates, including negatives.