\[R \cdot \sqrt{\left(\left(\lambda_1 - \lambda_2\right) \cdot \cos \left(\frac{\phi_1 + \phi_2}{2}\right)\right) \cdot \left(\left(\lambda_1 - \lambda_2\right) \cdot \cos \left(\frac{\phi_1 + \phi_2}{2}\right)\right) + \left(\phi_1 - \phi_2\right) \cdot \left(\phi_1 - \phi_2\right)}\]

↓

\[\sqrt{\left(\left(\lambda_1 - \lambda_2\right) \cdot \cos \left(\frac{\phi_2 + \phi_1}{2}\right)\right)^2 + \left(\phi_1 - \phi_2\right)^2}^* \cdot R\]

Error

The X axis uses an exponential scale — Bits error versus `R`

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Derivation

Initial program 37.2
\[R \cdot \sqrt{\left(\left(\lambda_1 - \lambda_2\right) \cdot \cos \left(\frac{\phi_1 + \phi_2}{2}\right)\right) \cdot \left(\left(\lambda_1 - \lambda_2\right) \cdot \cos \left(\frac{\phi_1 + \phi_2}{2}\right)\right) + \left(\phi_1 - \phi_2\right) \cdot \left(\phi_1 - \phi_2\right)}\]
Initial simplification3.8
\[\leadsto \sqrt{\left(\left(\lambda_1 - \lambda_2\right) \cdot \cos \left(\frac{\phi_2 + \phi_1}{2}\right)\right)^2 + \left(\phi_1 - \phi_2\right)^2}^* \cdot R\]
Final simplification3.8
\[\leadsto \sqrt{\left(\left(\lambda_1 - \lambda_2\right) \cdot \cos \left(\frac{\phi_2 + \phi_1}{2}\right)\right)^2 + \left(\phi_1 - \phi_2\right)^2}^* \cdot R\]

Runtime

	Baseline	Herbie	Oracle	Span	%
Regimes	3.8	3.8	3.7	0.2	0%

herbie shell --seed 2018295 +o rules:numerics
(FPCore (R lambda1 lambda2 phi1 phi2)
  :name "Equirectangular approximation to distance on a great circle"
  (* R (sqrt (+ (* (* (- lambda1 lambda2) (cos (/ (+ phi1 phi2) 2))) (* (- lambda1 lambda2) (cos (/ (+ phi1 phi2) 2)))) (* (- phi1 phi2) (- phi1 phi2))))))