Convert foot (US survey) to handbreadth Online | Free Length Converter
Foot (US Survey)
The US survey foot is a unit of length used historically in the United States for land surveying and mapping. It is defined as exactly 1200/3937 meters, which is approximately 0.3048006096 meters. This makes it very slightly longer than the international foot, which is exactly 0.3048 meters.
The US survey foot was established to maintain consistency with earlier land surveys and legal descriptions in the U.S. It was used extensively in the Public Land Survey System and other cadastral surveys.
Key points:
1 US survey foot = 1200/3937 meters ≈ 0.3048006096 meters
Slightly longer than the international foot by about 0.0006 millimeters
Used primarily in land surveying and legal documents
As of recent years, the US has been phasing out the US survey foot in favor of the international foot for standardization.
Though nearly identical to the international foot, the US survey foot remains important for understanding older land records and measurements.
Handbreadth
A handbreadth is a traditional unit of length based on the width of a human hand, typically measured from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended. It was commonly used in ancient and medieval times for everyday measurements.
The handbreadth is generally about 3 to 4 inches (approximately 7.5 to 10 centimeters), though the exact length could vary by culture and era.
It served as a practical, easy-to-use measure in tailoring, construction, and daily life before standardized units were established.
The handbreadth is one of several body-based units, like the span and palm, reflecting how humans used their own bodies for measuring.
Summary:
About 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm)
Based on the width of an extended hand
Used historically in various cultures
Practical for informal, everyday measurement
No conversions available for length.