Furlongs to Chains
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1 furlong (fur) = 10 chain (ch). Furlong (fur) is a unit of Length used in Standard system. Chain (ch) is a unit of Length used in Standard system.

Furlong: A Unit of Length Used in the US Customary System

The furlong (fur) is a unit of length in the US customary system, which is one of the systems of measurement used in the United States and some other countries. The furlong is equal to 220 yards, which is an eighth of a mile. The furlong is also a derived unit in the imperial system, which is the official system of measurement for the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth countries. The symbol for furlong is fur. The furlong is used for measuring long distances and areas, such as the length of a horse race or the area of a farm. The furlong is named after the furrow-long, which was the length of a furrow in one acre of a plowed open field in medieval England. In this article, we will explore the definition, history, usage and conversion of the furlong as a unit of length.

Definition of the Unit

The furlong is a unit of length that is equal to 220 yards. It is defined as 1/8 miles. The mile is defined as 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards.

The definition of the furlong has not changed since its origin in medieval England, as part of the old English system of measurement that was based on natural and traditional units. However, the definition of the mile has changed several times over time, as different standards and methods of measurement were developed by various countries and organizations. The current definition of the mile as based on feet and yards was agreed upon by an international treaty in 1959.

History of the Unit

The origin of the furlong as a unit of length can be traced back to medieval England, when it was used as a measure of land area and distance. The word furlong comes from the Old English words furh (furrow) and lang (long), meaning furrow-long. It referred to the length of a furrow in one acre of a plowed open field, which was a common system of land division and cultivation at that time. The open field was divided into strips or selions, each strip being one furlong long and one rod wide. A rod was equal to 5.5 yards or 16.5 feet. An acre was equal to four rods by 40 rods, or 160 square rods.

The furlong was also used as a measure of distance for horse racing and other sports. The standard length of a horse race was four furlongs, or half a mile. This was later increased to eight furlongs, or one mile, which became known as the classic distance for horse racing.

The furlong was adopted by other countries that followed the English system of measurement, such as the United States and Canada. It was also incorporated into the imperial system, which was established by an act of Parliament in 1824. The imperial system was based on seven base units that could be derived from natural and traditional units. The furlong remained as a derived unit in the imperial system, but it was no longer recommended for use in scientific and technical fields.

Usage of the Unit

The furlong is a unit of length that is used for measuring long distances and areas, such as the length of a horse race or the area of a farm.

The furlong is commonly used in horse racing, especially in North America and some other countries that follow the US customary system. Some examples are:

• Measuring the distance and speed of horses in races.
• Measuring the length and width of racetracks and courses.
• Measuring the height and weight of horses and jockeys.

The furlong is also used in agriculture, especially in rural areas where farms are still measured by acres and furlongs. Some examples are:

• Measuring the size and shape of fields and plots.
• Measuring the yield and production of crops and livestock.
• Measuring the distance and time between farms and markets.
• Measuring the taxes and subsidies for farmers.

How to Convert

The furlong can be converted to other units of length by using conversion factors or formulas. Here are some examples of how to convert furlongs to other units of length in the US customary system, the SI system and other systems:

• To convert furlongs to yards, multiply by 220. For example, 10 fur = 10 × 220 = 2200 yd.
• To convert furlongs to miles, divide by 8. For example, 10 fur = 10 / 8 = 1.25 mi.
• To convert furlongs to feet, multiply by 660. For example, 10 fur = 10 × 660 = 6600 ft.
• To convert furlongs to meters, multiply by 201.168. For example, 10 fur = 10 × 201.168 = 2011.68 m.
• To convert furlongs to kilometers, multiply by 0.201168. For example, 10 fur = 10 × 0.201168 = 2.01168 km.
• To convert furlongs to centimeters, multiply by 20116.8. For example, one fur = one × 20116.8 = 20116.8 cm.

Chain: A Unit of Length Used for Measuring Land

The chain is a unit of length that is equal to 66 feet or 22 yards or 4 rods or 100 links. It is part of the US customary and imperial measurement systems. It is used for measuring land, especially in surveying and mapping. The symbol for chain is ch. There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains. The unit is named after the chain, a measuring device that was invented by Edmund Gunter, a clergyman and mathematician, in the 17th century. The chain is also sometimes called a Gunter’s chain, a surveyor’s chain or a land chain. In this article, we will explore the definition, history, usage and conversion of the chain as a unit of length.

Definition of the Unit

The chain is a unit of length that is equal to 66 feet or 22 yards or 4 rods or 100 links. It is one of the base units in the US customary and imperial measurement systems, along with the foot, the yard and the mile. The chain is also a derived unit in the International System of Units (SI), which is the most widely used system of measurement in the world. The SI base unit of length is the meter, which is defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299792458 seconds.

The definition of the chain has not changed since its introduction by Edmund Gunter in 1620, who based it on an earlier English unit called an acre’s breadth, which was equal to one-tenth of a furlong or one-eightieth of a mile. However, the definition of the foot, which is used to define the chain, has changed several times over time, as different standards and methods of measurement were adopted by various countries and regions. The current definition of the foot as 0.3048 meter was agreed upon by an international treaty in 1959.

History of the Unit

The origin of the chain as a unit of length can be traced back to 1620, when Edmund Gunter created a measuring device called a chain. The chain was 66 feet long and consisted of 100 metal links connected by three rings each. The links were made of thick wire with a loop at each end. The chain had brass handles at each end for holding and folding. Gunter chose this unit because it was convenient for his work on surveying and mapping land. He also named this unit after himself, as he wrote in his book: "I have taken as unit for these measurements one hundredth part [of a furlong], which I will call an Chain".

Gunter’s unit was soon adopted by other surveyors and mapmakers, who found it useful for measuring distances and areas on flat or gently sloping land. The chain was also used for laying out roads, railways and canals. The chain became part of the US customary and imperial measurement systems, which were based on earlier English units that were brought by British settlers to America. The chain was also used in some other countries influenced by British practice, such as Canada and India.

In 1785, when the United States Congress passed the Land Ordinance Act to survey and divide the public land west of the Appalachian Mountains into rectangular townships and sections, the use of the chain as a unit of measurement was mandated by law. The act also defined the chain as equal to four rods or poles or perches. The surveyors who carried out this work were known as "chain bearers" or "chain carriers", and they marked each mile along their survey lines with wooden posts called "milestones".

In 1959, when the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth countries agreed to adopt a common definition of the foot as 0.3048 meter, based on the international yard that was defined as 0.9144 meter by an international treaty in 1959, the chain became exactly equal to 20.1168 meters.

Usage of the Unit

The chain is a unit of length that is used for measuring land, especially in surveying and mapping. The chain is also used for measuring distances on roads, railways and canals. The chain is still used in some rural areas and historical contexts in the United States, Canada and some other countries that follow the US customary or imperial measurement systems.

The chain is used for various purposes, such as:

• Measuring length, width and area of land parcels and properties.
• Measuring distances and dimensions on maps and plans.
• Measuring boundaries and borders between states, counties and townships.
• Measuring road widths and lengths.
• Measuring railway track gauges and lengths.
• Measuring canal widths and depths.

How to Convert

The chain can be converted to other units of length by using conversion factors or formulas. Here are some examples of how to convert chains to other units of length in the US customary system, the imperial system and the SI system:

• To convert chains to feet, multiply by 66. For example, 10 ch = 10 × 66 = 660 ft.
• To convert chains to yards, multiply by 22. For example, 10 ch = 10 × 22 = 220 yd.
• To convert chains to miles, divide by 80. For example, 10 ch = 10 / 80 = 0.125 mi.
• To convert chains to centimeters, multiply by 2011.68. For example, one ch = one × 2011.68 = 2011.68 cm.
• To convert chains to meters, multiply by 20.1168. For example, one ch = one × 20.1168 = 20.1168 m.
• To convert chains to kilometers, divide by 49.7097. For example, 10 ch = 10 / 49.7097 = 0.2012 km.

Equivalents in Other Units and Scales

The chain can be expressed in terms of other units of length by using equivalent values or ratios. Here are some examples of how to express chains in other units of length:

• One chain is equal to four rods or poles or perches.
• One chain is equal to one-tenth of a furlong or one-eightieth of a mile.
• One chain is equal to one-hundredth of a league or one-fortieth of a league (US).
• One chain is equal to one-hundred-millionth of an astronomical unit or one-forty-billionth of a light-year.
• One chain is equal to one-thousandth of a nautical mile or one-three-thousand-six-hundredth of a degree of latitude or longitude.