getSegmentLength

getSegmentlength is a function used in geometry, computer graphics, and geographic information systems to calculate the length of a segment. In its most common form, the function returns the Euclidean distance between two endpoints of a segment in 2D or 3D space. Some APIs extend the concept to polyline segments, where getSegmentlength can compute the length of a portion of a path defined by multiple points, or return the length of a single segment defined by consecutive points within a sequence.

Typical inputs include two points, each with coordinates (x, y) or (x, y, z), or a collection of points representing a segment or a polyline. The function returns a numeric value representing the length, usually in units corresponding to the coordinate system. In geospatial contexts, a variant may use geographic coordinates and compute a geodesic distance along the Earth's surface, such as a great-circle or haversine distance, rather than a straight Euclidean line.

Variations in naming exist; some libraries expose getSegmentLength, lengthOfSegment, or segmentLength. The exact signature depends on the language and API, but common practice is to handle degenerate cases (identical endpoints) and to return a non-negative value. If coordinates are out of range or undefined, implementations typically raise an error or return NaN.

See also: distance formula, Euclidean distance, polyline length, haversine formula, geodesic distance.