document.write( "Question 1189703: Find the distance between points X(30N, 40W) and Y(50N, 140E) on the same great circle. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #821240 by ikleyn(52781) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "Find the distance between points X(30N, 40W) and Y(50N, 140E) on the same great circle.
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document.write( "Notice, that since 40 + 140 = 180 degrees, it means that these two points lie on the same great circle \r\n" );
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document.write( "(section of the Earth globe), which goes through the North and the South geographic poles,\r\n" );
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document.write( "and both the points are in the Northern hemi-sphere.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Therefore, the distance between them on the Earth surface is  \r\n" );
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document.write( "     =  = 2234 kilometers,\r\n" );
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document.write( "where R = 6400 km is the Earth radius (commonly used value for such calculations), \r\n" );
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document.write( "and 20 represents the central angle, or arc angle between the given points \r\n" );
document.write( "(difference of their altitudes, in geographic context).\r\n" );
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