It is important. SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS ON A SPHERE It is known that the shortest distance between point A and point B on the surface of a sphere of radius R is part of a. The shortest distance between two points in a plain is a straight line and we can use Pythagoras Theorem to calculate the distance between two points.
SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS ON A SPHERE It is known that the shortest distance between point A and point B on the surface of a sphere of radius R is part of a.
In the case of the sphere the geodesic is a segment of a great circle containing the two points. Distance d 39630 arccossinlat1 sinlat2 coslat1 coslat2 coslong2. Between any two points on a sphere that are not directly opposite each other there is a unique great circle. I 9 Marks Prove That The Shortest Path Joining Any Two Points Of 2 Is An Arc Of A Great Circle.
