The cubit is an ancient unit based on the forearm length from the tip of the middle finger to the bottom of the elbow. Cubits of various lengths were employed in many parts of the world in antiquity, during the Middle Ages and as recently as Early Modern Times. The term is still used in hedge laying, the length of the forearm being frequently used to determine the interval between stakes placed within the hedge.
| Definition | Relation to SI units |
|---|---|
≡ Distance from fingers to elbow ≈ 18 in |
| 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 cubit | = 0.5 meters |
| 1.5 cubit | = 0.75 meters |
| 2 cubit | = 1 meters |
| 2.5 cubit | = 1.25 meters |
| 3 cubit | = 1.5 meters |