span | 1 span | 2 span | 3 span | 4 span | 5 span | 6 span | 7 span | 8 span | 9 span | 10 span | 11 span | 12 span | 13 span | 14 span | 15 span | 16 span | 17 span | 18 span | 19 span | 20 span | 21 span | 22 span | 23 span | 24 span | 25 span | 26 span | 27 span | 28 span | 29 span | 30 span | 31 span | 32 span | 33 span | 34 span | 35 span | 36 span | 37 span | 38 span | 39 span | 40 span | 41 span | 42 span | 43 span | 44 span | 45 span | 46 span | 47 span | 48 span | 49 span | 50 span | 51 span | 52 span | 53 span | 54 span | 55 span | 56 span | 57 span | 58 span | 59 span | 60 span | 61 span | 62 span | 63 span | 64 span | 65 span | 66 span | 67 span | 68 span | 69 span | 70 span | 71 span | 72 span | 73 span | 74 span | 75 span | 76 span | 77 span | 78 span | 79 span | 80 span | 81 span | 82 span | 83 span | 84 span | 85 span | 86 span | 87 span | 88 span | 89 span | 90 span | 91 span | 92 span | 93 span | 94 span | 95 span | 96 span | 97 span | 98 span | 99 span | 100 span |
ell | 0.2 ell | 0.4 ell | 0.6 ell | 0.8 ell | 1 ell | 1.2 ell | 1.4 ell | 1.6 ell | 1.8 ell | 2 ell | 2.2 ell | 2.4 ell | 2.6 ell | 2.8 ell | 3 ell | 3.2 ell | 3.4 ell | 3.6 ell | 3.8 ell | 4 ell | 4.2 ell | 4.4 ell | 4.6 ell | 4.8 ell | 5 ell | 5.2 ell | 5.4 ell | 5.6 ell | 5.8 ell | 6 ell | 6.2 ell | 6.4 ell | 6.6 ell | 6.8 ell | 7 ell | 7.2 ell | 7.4 ell | 7.6 ell | 7.8 ell | 8 ell | 8.2 ell | 8.4 ell | 8.6 ell | 8.8 ell | 9 ell | 9.2 ell | 9.4 ell | 9.6 ell | 9.8 ell | 10 ell | 10.2 ell | 10.4 ell | 10.6 ell | 10.8 ell | 11 ell | 11.2 ell | 11.4 ell | 11.6 ell | 11.8 ell | 12 ell | 12.2 ell | 12.4 ell | 12.6 ell | 12.8 ell | 13 ell | 13.2 ell | 13.4 ell | 13.6 ell | 13.8 ell | 14 ell | 14.2 ell | 14.4 ell | 14.6 ell | 14.8 ell | 15 ell | 15.2 ell | 15.4 ell | 15.6 ell | 15.8 ell | 16 ell | 16.2 ell | 16.4 ell | 16.6 ell | 16.8 ell | 17 ell | 17.2 ell | 17.4 ell | 17.6 ell | 17.8 ell | 18 ell | 18.2 ell | 18.4 ell | 18.6 ell | 18.8 ell | 19 ell | 19.2 ell | 19.4 ell | 19.6 ell | 19.8 ell | 20 ell |
A span is the distance measured by a human hand, from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger. In ancient times, a span was considered to be half a cubit. Sometimes the distinction is made between the great span (thumb to little finger) and little span (index finger to little finger).
Name of unit | Symbol | Definition | Relation to SI units | Unit System |
---|---|---|---|---|
span | span | ≡ 9 in | = 0.2286 m | Imperial/US |
spans | ell | spans | ell |
---|---|---|---|
1 | = 0.2 | 4 | = 0.8 |
1.5 | = 0.3 | 4.5 | = 0.9 |
2 | = 0.4 | 5 | = 1 |
2.5 | = 0.5 | 5.5 | = 1.1 |
3 | = 0.6 | 6 | = 1.2 |
An ell (from Proto-Germanic *alinō, cognate with Latin ulna) is a unit of measurement, originally a cubit, i.e., approximating the length of a man's arm from the elbow ("elbow" means the bend or bow of the ell or arm) to the tip of the middle finger, or about 18 inches (457 mm); in later usage, any of several longer units.
Name of unit | Symbol | Definition | Relation to SI units | Unit System |
---|---|---|---|---|
ell | ell | ≡ 45 in (In England usually) | = 1.143 m | Other (Length) |
ell | spans | ell | spans |
---|---|---|---|
1 | = 5 | 4 | = 20 |
1.5 | = 7.5 | 4.5 | = 22.5 |
2 | = 10 | 5 | = 25 |
2.5 | = 12.5 | 5.5 | = 27.5 |
3 | = 15 | 6 | = 30 |
spans | ell |
---|---|
1 | = 0.2 |
5 | = 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 …) |