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How to Calculate Horizontal Distance

Horizontal distance spans length between two points in feet. The mathematical horizontal distance formula is often used on maps because it does not factor in things like peaks, hills and valleys between the two points.



To successfully calculate the horizontal distance (also known as run) between two points, you need to know two pieces of information: the vertical distance, or rise, between the two points; and the percentage of slope from the top of that hill or peak to the base.

Things You'll Need

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Instructions

    • 1

      Look over the equation for calculating horizontal distance, which is slope = rise/run x 100. Plug your slope percentage and rise into the equation. For example, if you have a slope percentage of 6 and a rise of 25 feet, the equation would look like 6 = 25/run x 100.

    • 2

      Multiply each side of the equation by the run, which is still yet unknown. Continuing with the example of a slope percentage of 6 and a rise of 25, the equation will look like this: run x 6 = (25/run x 100) x run. Multiplying 25/run x 100 by the run on the right side of the equation will cancel out the run entirely on that side. You can then multiply your rise (25) by 100. After multiplication, the equation will look like: 6 x run = 2,500.

    • 3

      Divide each side of the equation by the slope percent. Continuing with the example of a slope percentage of 6 and a rise of 25, the equation should look like this: (run x 6) / 6 = 2,500 / 6. Dividing run x 6 by 6 will cancel out the slope percent entirely on the left side of the equation. After completing the division, the equation becomes run = 416.6. The horizontal between the two points is then 416.6 feet.

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