Convert decimeter to chain (US survey) Online | Free Length Converter

Decimeter

A decimeter (dm) is a unit of length in the metric system. It is equal to one-tenth of a meter, or 10 centimeters (1 dm = 0.1 m = 10 cm). While not as commonly used as centimeters or meters in everyday life, decimeters are still important in scientific and technical measurements. For example, a small book or a tablet might be about 2 to 3 decimeters long. The symbol for decimeter is "dm". Although it sits between the centimeter and meter in size, people often skip using decimeters and go directly from centimeters to meters. Still, it's a helpful unit when you need a mid-sized measurement.

Chain (US Survey)

The US survey chain is a unit of length used historically in land surveying in the United States. It is defined as exactly 66 US survey feet, which is slightly longer than the international foot. Since one US survey foot equals about 0.3048006096 meters, the US survey chain is approximately 20.11684 meters long.

Like the standard chain, it is divided into 100 links, each measuring 0.66 US survey feet. The US survey chain was widely used in the Public Land Survey System to measure land parcels and boundaries.

Key facts:

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  1 US survey chain = 66 US survey feet

  
  
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  1 US survey chain ≈ 20.11684 meters

  
  
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  10 US survey chains = 1 furlong

  
  
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  80 US survey chains = 1 US survey mile

  
  

Though the US survey foot and chain are being phased out in favor of international units, the US survey chain still appears in historical land records and some legal contexts.