What is a geographic polygon?
A geographic polygon is defined by a series of latitude-longitude vertices that trace a shape on the Earth's surface.
Why use great-circle distances instead of Euclidean distances for polygons?
Great-circle distances follow the curvature of the Earth, making them more accurate for measuring distances on the globe compared to straight-line Euclidean distances.
How does the haversine formula work in this calculator?
The haversine formula calculates the shortest distance between two points on a sphere by determining the central angle between them and then multiplying it by the Earth's radius.
Can I use this calculator for any polygon shape?
Yes, you can use this calculator for any polygon shape as long as you have the latitude-longitude coordinates of its vertices.
What is the difference between geographic and Euclidean distances?
Geographic distances follow the Earth's curvature using great-circle routes, while Euclidean distances are straight-line measurements that do not account for the Earth's spherical shape.