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Units of Distance

Units of Distance - Imperial

Unit Abbrev Notes

Angstrom

Å

 

Thou

 

1/1000 inch.

Barleycorn

 

 

Inch

in

Allegedly the length of King John's nose

Foot

ft

12 inches

Yard

yd

3 feet = 36 inches

Fathom   2 yards = 6 feet = 72 inches

Chain

ch

22 yards = 66 feet.  Originally the width of a standard area to be ploughed (see furlong, acre).  Still commonly used as the standard length of a cricket pitch.

Rod / Pole / Perch

 

 

Furlong

fl

220 yards = 660 feet.  Originally the length of a standard area to be ploughed (Furrow-long).  Still commonly used in horse-racing.  See Chain, Acre.

Mile

mi

 1,760 yards.

League

 

 

Nautical Mile

 

 

 

Units of Distance - Metric

Unit Abbrev Notes

Micrometre

µm

Millionth of a metre

Millimetre

mm

Thousandth of a metre

Centimetre

cm

Hundredth of a metre
Approx 4/10 of an inch.

Decimetre

dm

Tenth of a metre - rarely used
Approx 4 inches.

Metre

m

 Approx 39.37 inches.

Kilometre

km

 1,000 metres.

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