A chain is a unit of length. It measures 66 feet, or 22 yards, or 100 links, or 4 rods (20.1168 m). There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains (that is, an area of one chain by one furlong). The chain has been used for several centuries in Britain and in some other countries influenced by British practice.
| Definition | Relation to SI units |
|---|---|
≡ 66 ft (US) ≡ 4 rods |
| pace | gigameter | league (land) | zettameter | rod | finger | spat | hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7.62 × 10-10 | 0.0001578 | 7.62 × 10-22 | 0.1515152 | 34.2857143 | 7.62 × 10-13 | 7.5 |
| 1,312,335,958.0052 | 1 | 207,125.1035626 | 1.0 × 10-12 | 198,838,781.51595 | 44,994,375,703.037 | 0.001 | 9,842,519,685.0394 |
| 6,335.9580052 | 4.828 × 10-6 | 1 | 4.828 × 10-18 | 959.9936372 | 217,232.8458943 | 4.828 × 10-9 | 47,519.6850394 |
| 1.3123359580052 × 1021 | 1 000 000 000 000 | 2.0712510356255 × 1017 | 1 | 1.9883878151595 × 1020 | 4.4994375703037 × 1022 | 1 000 000 000 | 9.8425196850394 × 1021 |
| 6.6 | 5.0292 × 10-9 | 0.0010417 | 5.0292 × 10-21 | 1 | 226.2857143 | 5.0292 × 10-12 | 49.5 |
| 0.0291667 | 2.2225 × 10-11 | 4.6033554266777 × 10-6 | 2.2225 × 10-23 | 0.0044192 | 1 | 2.2225 × 10-14 | 0.21875 |
| 1,312,335,958,005.2 | 1 000 | 207,125,103.56255 | 1.0 × 10-9 | 198,838,781,515.95 | 44 994 375 703 037 | 1 | 9,842,519,685,039.4 |
| 0.1333333 | 1.016 × 10-10 | 2.1043910521955 × 10-5 | 1.016 × 10-22 | 0.0202020 | 4.5714286 | 1.016 × 10-13 | 1 |
| Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|
| ≡ | exactly equal |
| ≈ | approximately equal to |
| = | equal to |
| digits | indicates that digits repeat infinitely (e.g. 8.294 369 corresponds to 8.294 369 369 369 369 …) |
| 1 chains | = 20.11684 meters |
| 1.5 chains | = 30.17526 meters |
| 2 chains | = 40.23368 meters |
| 2.5 chains | = 50.2921 meters |
| 3 chains | = 60.35052 meters |