There are 36 inches in 3 feet.
- 12 inches = 1 foot
- 3 feet = 1 yard
- 22 yards = 1 chain
- 10 chains = 1 furlong
- 8 furlongs = 1 mile
- 3 miles = 1 league
Imperial measurements such as these are now precisely defined in terms of metric units:
- 1 inch = 2.54 centimetres (0.0254 metres)
- 1 foot = 304.8 centimetres (0.3048 metres)
Today, imperial measurements are not in common use around the world. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and the Republic of Ireland have adopted the metric system as their official measurement system, but imperial measurements are still prominently used. Road signs in the United Kingdom, for instance, continue to show distances in terms of miles rather than kilometres.
The United States is unique in being the only industrialised nation that does not use the metric system for its commercial and standards activities. Instead, 'United States customary units are used'. The system has its roots with the imperial units system - and shares many identical measurements - but it is not exactly the same because the US system was developed before the standardisation of imperial units in 1824.
- 12 inches = 1 foot
- 3 feet = 1 yard
- 22 yards = 1 chain
- 10 chains = 1 furlong
- 8 furlongs = 1 mile
- 3 miles = 1 league
Imperial measurements such as these are now precisely defined in terms of metric units:
- 1 inch = 2.54 centimetres (0.0254 metres)
- 1 foot = 304.8 centimetres (0.3048 metres)
Today, imperial measurements are not in common use around the world. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and the Republic of Ireland have adopted the metric system as their official measurement system, but imperial measurements are still prominently used. Road signs in the United Kingdom, for instance, continue to show distances in terms of miles rather than kilometres.
The United States is unique in being the only industrialised nation that does not use the metric system for its commercial and standards activities. Instead, 'United States customary units are used'. The system has its roots with the imperial units system - and shares many identical measurements - but it is not exactly the same because the US system was developed before the standardisation of imperial units in 1824.
