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Span (Cloth)

A span is an old unit of length based on the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger of a fully extended hand. Traditionally, it measures about 9 inches or 22.86 centimeters.

In the context of cloth and textiles, the span was used as a convenient, informal measure to estimate small lengths of fabric before standardized rulers became widespread. It was helpful for tailors and traders to quickly gauge lengths during measuring and cutting.

While the span is largely obsolete as a formal unit today, it reflects historical measurement practices tied closely to the human body, similar to the cubit or hand.

Summary:

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  1 span ≈ 9 inches (22.86 cm)

  
  
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  Based on the hand’s spread

  
  
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  Used historically in cloth measurement and tailoring

  
  
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  Now mostly of historical and cultural interest

Inch

An inch is a unit of length used primarily in the imperial and U.S. customary systems. It is commonly used in countries like the United States, Canada, and the UK for measuring shorter lengths. One inch equals 2.54 centimeters. There are 12 inches in a foot. Inches are often used to measure things like screen sizes, paper dimensions, or body measurements. For example, a standard smartphone screen might be about 6 inches. The symbol for inch is "in" or a double quote mark (″). Rulers, measuring tapes, and toolkits often include inches for easy reference. Although the metric system is more widely used globally, inches remain common in certain industries and countries for specific applications.