Subsubsection Length Units
In the US standard system, the inch (in) 1” (double apostrophe) is the primary unit, with the foot (ft) 1’ (single apostrophe) and mile (mi) used for larger distances.
In the metric system, the base unit for length is the meter (m). Its subdivisions include the centimeter (cm), millimeter (mm). The kilometer (km), equivalent to 1,000 m is used for longer distances.
For navigation on water (marine), air, and space, the Nautical Mile (NM) unit of length is used.
| U.S. Standard | Metric | Conversions |
|---|---|---|
| 12 inches = 1 foot | 1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters | 1 inch = 2.54 cm |
| 3 feet = 1 yard | 1 meter = 100 centimeters | 1 ft = 0.3048 m |
| 1,760 yards = 1 mile | 1 kilometer = 100,000 centimeters | 1 yd = 0.9144 m |
| 5,280 feet = 1 mile | 1 kilometer = 1,000 meters | 1 mile = 1.6093 km |
| 1 Nautical Mile = 6,076 ft | 1 Standard Mile = 5,280 ft | 1 Kilometer = 3,280.84 ft |
Fathom: A nautical measurement equal to 6 feet or 1.8288 meters. It is commonly used for measuring depth in water. Finger tip to finger tip
