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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

Mile

A mile is a unit of length commonly used in the United States and the United Kingdom to measure long distances. One mile equals 5,280 feet or about 1.609 kilometers. Miles are often used to measure distances between cities, in running races like the mile run, or for driving distances shown on road signs. The abbreviation for mile is "mi". Although many countries use the metric system with kilometers, miles remain popular in some places for everyday distance measurements and travel.