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How much shorter is the great circle route compared to the straight route?

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Answer:

The great circle route is the shortest route between two locations on a "roughly" spherical object like the earth. It is in effect the straight line between two locations along the surface of a sphere.

By the straight route - I assume you mean a straight line on a 2D map. This usually does not coincide with the great circle route. The difference in length between a so-called straight route and a great circle route would then vary based on both the map projection selected and the location of the two endpoints of the journey.

First answer by ID1676285271. Last edit by ID1676285271. Question popularity: 12 [recommend question].

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