Calculating Straight Line Distance from A to B

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  • Thread starter wonder1
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In summary, the 3D distance formula was used to find the distance between two points, A and B, and the answer is 118.566437. The task is to find formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t) to represent the motion of a camera from position A = (20,22,20) to position B = (117,90,15) in 5 seconds with constant speed. After solving the IVP, the formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t) are x(t)=\frac{97}{5}t+20, y(t)=\frac{68}{5}t+22, and z(t)=-t+20.
  • #1
wonder1
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Hi all,

for the below questions i used the 3D distance formula

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{((117t-20)^2+((117−20)^2+(90−22)^2+(15−20))}\)

\(\displaystyle d=(97)^2+(68)^2+(−5)^2\)

\(\displaystyle AB=118.566437\)

to give me an answer of 118.566437

i don't understand what it means by finding formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t)

is it \(\displaystyle 97x^2+68y^2−5z^2\) ?4. The camera needs to move from position A = (20,22,20) to position B = (117,90,15), on a straight line, with constant speed, in 5 seconds. Find formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t), assuming that the movement starts at time t = 0.
 
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  • #2
wonder said:
Hi all,

for the below questions i used the 3D distance formula

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{((117t-20)^2+((117−20)^2+(90−22)^2+(15−20))}\)

\(\displaystyle d=(97)^2+(68)^2+(−5)^2\)

\(\displaystyle AB=118.566437\)

to give me an answer of 118.566437

i don't understand what it means by finding formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t)

is it \(\displaystyle 97x^2+68y^2−5z^2\) ?4. The camera needs to move from position A = (20,22,20) to position B = (117,90,15), on a straight line, with constant speed, in 5 seconds. Find formulas for x(t), y(t), and z(t), assuming that the movement starts at time t = 0.

Let's look at motion in one dimension...suppose the initial coordinate is $x_0$ and the final coordinate is $x_1$, and we want this change in position to occur in $t$ units of time, with a constant speed $v_x$, which means we can write:

\(\displaystyle \d{x}{t}=v_x\) where $x\left(t_0\right)=x_0$ and $x\left(t_1\right)=x_1$.

Can you now solve this IVP?
 
  • #3
MarkFL said:
Let's look at motion in one dimension...suppose the initial coordinate is $x_0$ and the final coordinate is $x_1$, and we want this change in position to occur in $t$ units of time, with a constant speed $v_x$, which means we can write:

\(\displaystyle \d{x}{t}=v_x\) where $x\left(t_0\right)=x_0$ and $x\left(t_1\right)=x_1$.

Can you now solve this IVP?
First distance vector
(117,90,15) - (20,22,20) = (97,68,-5)

Equation

AB(t) = (20+97t, 22+68t, 20-5t)

X=20+97t
Y=22+68t
Z=20-5t
 
  • #4
Solving the IVP I posted, we would obtain:

\(\displaystyle x(t)=\frac{x_1-x_0}{t_1-t_0}\left(t-t_0\right)+x_0\)

Now, applying this to all 3 dimensions, using the given values, we get

\(\displaystyle x(t)=\frac{97}{5}t+20\)

\(\displaystyle y(t)=\frac{68}{5}t+22\)

\(\displaystyle z(t)=-t+20\)
 

FAQ: Calculating Straight Line Distance from A to B

What is the formula for calculating straight line distance?

The formula for calculating straight line distance from point A to point B is the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the distance (d) is equal to the square root of the sum of the squared differences in the x and y coordinates (d = √(x2 − x1)^2 + (y2 − y1)^2).

How do I find the coordinates for points A and B?

The coordinates for points A and B can be found using a map or GPS device. Alternatively, you can use a location search engine or online tool to find the latitude and longitude coordinates for each point.

Can the straight line distance be calculated for any two points on a map?

Yes, the straight line distance can be calculated for any two points on a map as long as the coordinates for those points are known.

Is straight line distance the same as driving distance?

No, straight line distance is the direct distance between two points, while driving distance takes into account roads, highways, and other obstacles that may affect the actual distance traveled.

Are there any online tools or calculators available for calculating straight line distance?

Yes, there are many online tools and calculators available for calculating straight line distance between two points. Some popular options include Google Maps distance calculator, MapQuest distance calculator, and GPS Visualizer.

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