Taxicab Geometry

MAEN 504
George Carbone
August 18, 2002
Page 1

Table Of Contents

Why Taxicab Geometry?

History of Taxicab Geometry

The General Equation for Taxicab Distance

Taxicab Circles

An Application - Taxicab Treasure Hunt

Taxicab Ellipse

More Applications

Resources and Bibliography

Page 2

Why Taxicab Geometry?

The best way to understand Why Taxicab Geometry is
through a practical application or problem...
John wants to walk from his home to the library. Based on
the diagram at the left where each square represents one
square block, what is the shortest distance he must walk?
Analysis
The library is 4 blocks north and 3 blocks west of John's
house. Euclidean geometry would suggest that the
shortest distance is along the dotted line. Moreover, since
we have a right triangle with legs equaling 3 and 4, then
based on the Pythagorean Theorem, the hypotenuse or dotted line would equal 5 blocks.
However, unless John is a bird, he can't follow the dotted path. Instead he must walk along the
various streets or blocks. Therefore, what is the least number of blocks he must walk?
One can see that least number of blocks is 7. Specifically, he would need to walk some
combination of 4 blocks north and some combination of 3 blocks west.
Taxicab Geometry provides us with a Non-Euclidean framework for analyzing problems based
on blocks - much like the grid of an urban street map - hence the name Taxicab Geometry.
Page 3

History Of Taxicab Geometry

Hermann Minkowski (1864-1909) introduced taxicab Geometry over 100 years ago.
Minkowski was a German mathematician and professor who studied at the Universities of
Berlin and Konigsberg. He taught at several universities in Bonn, Konigsberg and Zurich.
Interestingly, Albert Einstein was among his students in Zurich and Minkowski's NonEuclidean work on a four-dimensional space-time continuum provided a framework for
Einstein's later work on the Theory of Relativity.
Euclidean Geometry measures distance as the crow flies. Minkowski recognized that this
was not necessarily the best model for many real world situations, particularly for problems
involving cities where distances are determined along blocks and not as the crow flies.
Another valuable aspect of Taxicab Geometry is its simplicity as a non-Euclidean Geometry.
It is more easily understood than many other non-Euclidean geometries. In fact, given its
grid or Cartesian based orientation, it can be taught with the aid of graph paper as early as
in the middle school years.
Since its introduction in the late 1800s, Taxicab Geometry has undergone periods of great
interest and practical application, as well as periods of marginalization. It received renewed
attention in 1975 when Eugene Krause, a Mathematics professor at the University of
Michigan, published a detailed book on the subject entitled Taxicab Geometry: An
Adventure in Non-Euclidean Geometry.
Page 4

The General Equation for Taxicab Distance

In Euclidean Geometry, the distance between
two points A and B can be derived based on
the Pythagorean Theorem: d(A,B) =
squareroot ((xA-xB)2 + (yA-yB)2 ). In the
example at left, this formula yields the crow
flies measurement of 7.81 cm, based on
Squareroot(52 + 62).
However, in Taxicab Geometry, the distance
formula was redefined by Minkowski distance
as: d(A,B) = |xA-xB| + |yA-yB|. Thus, the
Taxicab distance in this example is 11 cm,
based on 6 + 5.
In other words, the distance is defined as the sum of the horizontal and vertical distance of
the two points. This is the minimum distance a taxicab would need to travel to reach point
B from point A, if all streets are only oriented horizontally and vertically.
In the following pages well see how this Non-Euclidean measure of distance can be
applied to practical problems and result in Taxicab definition of geometric figures, such as
circles and ellipses. Not surprisingly, our understandings these figures must change.

Page 5

Taxicab Circles
In Euclidean Geometry, a circle represents
a series of points equidistant from a single
point or center. If we apply the Taxicab
distance to the definition of a circle, we
get an interesting shape of a Taxicab
circle.
For example, the set of points 3 units
away from point a (1,1) is outlined at left.
The dotted line provides an example of a
distance of 3.
Note the figure appears to be a square.

This definition of a Taxicab Circle provides a basis for addressing many practical applications
Taxicab Geometry. For example, in the following section we explore Taxicab Treasure Hunt,
a website (http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/math/geometry/shape/taxicab/) for determining
the location of a hidden treasure.
The solution is based on the intersection of respective Taxicab Circles.

Page 6

Taxicab Treasure Hunt

The object of the treasure hunt game is to find a hidden treasure
located somewhere in the mythical city outlined to the left.
You first define a starting point that I have stated as Third Avenue and
Dogwood Street. The game then tells me my distance from the
treasure - in this example. It states the distance in 3 blocks. Thus I
know the answer consists of the locus of points a taxicab circle of 3
blocks from Third and Dogwood. That circle is outlined at the lower left
(note the entire circle does not appear since it is outside the bounds of
the defined city).
I then selected Fifth and Elm (a point along the prior Taxicab Circle).
It informs me that I am 4 blocks from the treasure. Through a second thicker circle now 4 blocks from my new
location, I know the solution must be at the intersection of the 2 circles (see the middle figure below).
Therefore, the possible solutions are Second and Fir, First and Elm, or Fourth and Birch.
I then selected Fourth and Fir, and found out I was 2 blocks away. I drew a third (thin) Taxicab circle 2 blocks
from the new location and found the solution is First and Elm, the intersection of the 3 circles.

Page 7

Taxicab Ellipses
In Euclidean Geometry, an ellipse is defined as the set of all points the sum of
whose distance from two given points is a fixed distance. Again, applying the
Taxicab concept of distance to this definition of an ellipse yields an interesting
Taxicab Ellipse.
For example, let A equal (-2, -1) and B equal (2, 2). What is the locus of points
where the sum of the distance from these points is 9? The answer is outlined at
below.

Page 8

More Applications - A
One problem outlined in Krause's book is
the following...

There are 3 high schools in Ideal City. Fillmore at

(-4, 3), Grant at (2, 1), and Harding at (-1, -6).
Draw in school district boundary lines so that
each student in Ideal City attends the high school
nearest his home.
The first thing one must do is construct
boundaries between each pair of schools. Since
Fillmore and Grant are 8 blocks apart, the locus
of equally distant points between them is the blue
line. Since Fillmore and Harding are 12 blocks
apart, the locus of equally distant points between
them is the black line. And since Grant and
Harding are 10 blocks apart, the locus of equally
distant points between them is the red line.
Since there are 3 schools the actual dividing lines
are determined by the thicker set of lines.
Therefore, Grant would serve those living in the
yellow area, Harding would serve those in the
gray area, and Fillmore would serve those in the
teal area.

Follow on question... Burger Baron wants to open a hamburger stand equally distant from the 3
high schools. Where should they locate it? Answer at (-2, -1) as it 6 blocks from each.
Page 9

More Applications - B
Another problem outlined
by Krause...
Ajax Industrial Corporation
wants to build a factory in
Ideal City in a location
where the sum of its
distances from the railroad
station C = (-5, -3) and the
airport D = (5, -1) is at most
16 blocks. For noise
control purposes a city
ordinance forbids the
location of any factory within 3 blocks of the public library L = (-4, 2). Where can Ajax build?
The solution to this problem is outlined by the thicker lined figure outlined at upper right. This
is clearly an ellipse solution with a wrinkle involving the library. Interestingly, and suggested by
the book, we use a Euclidean circle not a Taxicab circle for the Library cut-out. Why?
Sound does travel the way the crow flies. Therefore, a 3 block Euclidean cut-out which is
larger than the potential Taxicab cut-out (see dotted line) is appropriate.

Page 10

Resources and Bibliography

Biography of Hermann Minkowski

http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Minkowski.html

Hermann Minkowski and Taxicab Geometry

http://www.mzt.hr/mzt/hrv/informacije/publi/casopisi/c-teh/kog/koga5.htm

Krause, Eugene. Taxicab Geometry: An Adventure in Non-Euclidean Geometry.

Dover Publications, Inc. New York. 1975.

Taxicab Tresure Hunt

http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/math/geometry/shape/taxicab/

Why Taxicab Geometry?

http://cgm.cs.mcgill.ca/~godfried/teaching/projects.pr.98/tesson/taxi/why.html

Page 11