Naimul Hasan Arif
In our day to day life, we feel the necessity of measuring distance in so many times. It is not so tough to calculate the distance between two GPS coordinates in Excel. I am going to elaborate 2 simple ways to calculate the distance between two GPS coordinates in Excel.
For more clarification, I will use a dataset comprising the Latitude and Longitude values of the locations Prague, Czech Republic, and Salzburg, Austria.
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2 Simple Ways to Calculate Distance between Two GPS Coordinates in Excel
1. Using Arithmetic Formula to Calculate Distance between Two GPS Coordinates
The use of the arithmetic formula is the quickest and simplest way to calculate the distance between two GPS coordinates. Now, follow the following steps for this purpose.
Steps:
- Create a new row titled Distance (Miles).
- Select a cell to apply the following formula:
=ACOS(COS(RADIANS(90-C5))*COS(RADIANS(90-C6))+SIN(RADIANS(90-C5))*SIN(RADIANS(90-C6))*COS(RADIANS(D5-D6)))*3959Here,
- The Radian Function converts the value in Degree units into a value of Radian unit.
- The ACOS Function returns the inverse cosine of a number.
Formula Breakdown
COS(RADIANS(90-C5))*COS(RADIANS(90-C6))+SIN(RADIANS(90-C5))*SIN(RADIANS(90-C6))*COS(RADIANS(D5-D6)) – this portion provides the value using trigonometry operators.
Output: 0.999092512926254
ACOS(0.999092512926254) – ACOS Function returns the inverse Cosine value.
Output: 0.0426057358212635
0.0426057358212635 *3959 – The multiplication of 3959 converts the value into Miles.
Output: 168.676108116382
- Finally, press ENTER to have the result.
Thus, we can calculate the distance between two GPS coordinates quite easily.
Read More: How to Calculate Distance Between Two Cities in Excel
2. Using VBA to Calculate Distance between Two GPS Coordinates
We can also use VBA to calculate the distance between two GPS coordinates. It is the smartest way to do so.
Steps:
- First of all, go to the Developer tab.
- Choose Visual Basic from the ribbon.
- Now, click on Insert.
- Then, press on Module.
- Now, Input the following VBA code in the empty space:
Public Function DistCalc(Prague_Lati As Double, Prague_Longi As Double, Salzburg_Lati As Double, Salzburg_Longi As Double)
   With WorksheetFunction
       M = Cos(.Radians(90 - Prague_Lati))
       N = Cos(.Radians(90 - Salzburg_Lati))
       O = Sin(.Radians(90 - Prague_Lati))
       P = Sin(.Radians(90 - Salzburg_Lati))
       Q = Cos(.Radians(Prague_Longi - Salzburg_Longi))
'Change 6371 to 3959 to get your result in Miles
       DistCalc = .Acos(M * N + O * P * Q) * 6371
   End With
End Function
Firstly, I used here a Public Function procedure DistCalc. Then, I set some variables M, N, O, P, and Q with certain values. I mentioned a suitable relation between the variables to define the DistCalc Function.
- Now, select a cell to have the measured result (i.e. C8).
- Now, apply the following formula:
=DistCalc(C5,D5,C6,D6)Here, the DistCalc function estimates the distance between the two points.
- Finally, hit ENTER.
This is the coolest way to calculate the distance between two GPS coordinates.
Read More: How to Calculate Distance Between Two Addresses in Excel (3 Ways)
Practice Section
You can practice here for more expertise.
Conclusion
In this article, I have tried to articulate 2 simple ways to calculate the distance between two GPS coordinates in Excel. I hope it will be helpful for all. For any further questions, comment below.
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