Convert hand to decimeter Online | Free Length Converter

Hand

A hand is a traditional unit of length primarily used to measure the height of horses. It is equal to 4 inches or 10.16 centimeters.

The origin of the hand as a measurement comes from using the width of a human hand, and it has been standardized at 4 inches for consistency in horse measurement. Horse height is expressed in "hands," measured from the ground to the highest point of the withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades).

Key points:

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  1 hand = 4 inches

  
  
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  1 hand = 10.16 centimeters

  
  
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  Used mainly for measuring horse height

  
  
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  Horse height is often given in hands and inches, e.g., 15.2 hands means 15 hands plus 2 inches

  
  

The hand remains the standard unit for horse height in many English-speaking countries.

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.