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 |
hand | 2.25 hand | 4.5 hand | 6.75 hand | 9 hand | 11.25 hand | 13.5 hand | 15.75 hand | 18 hand | 20.25 hand | 22.5 hand | 24.75 hand | 27 hand | 29.25 hand | 31.5 hand | 33.75 hand | 36 hand | 38.25 hand | 40.5 hand | 42.75 hand | 45 hand | 47.25 hand | 49.5 hand | 51.75 hand | 54 hand | 56.25 hand | 58.5 hand | 60.75 hand | 63 hand | 65.25 hand | 67.5 hand | 69.75 hand | 72 hand | 74.25 hand | 76.5 hand | 78.75 hand | 81 hand | 83.25 hand | 85.5 hand | 87.75 hand | 90 hand | 92.25 hand | 94.5 hand | 96.75 hand | 99 hand | 101.25 hand | 103.5 hand | 105.75 hand | 108 hand | 110.25 hand | 112.5 hand | 114.75 hand | 117 hand | 119.25 hand | 121.5 hand | 123.75 hand | 126 hand | 128.25 hand | 130.5 hand | 132.75 hand | 135 hand | 137.25 hand | 139.5 hand | 141.75 hand | 144 hand | 146.25 hand | 148.5 hand | 150.75 hand | 153 hand | 155.25 hand | 157.5 hand | 159.75 hand | 162 hand | 164.25 hand | 166.5 hand | 168.75 hand | 171 hand | 173.25 hand | 175.5 hand | 177.75 hand | 180 hand | 182.25 hand | 184.5 hand | 186.75 hand | 189 hand | 191.25 hand | 193.5 hand | 195.75 hand | 198 hand | 200.25 hand | 202.5 hand | 204.75 hand | 207 hand | 209.25 hand | 211.5 hand | 213.75 hand | 216 hand | 218.25 hand | 220.5 hand | 222.75 hand | 225 hand |
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 | hands | spans | hands |
---|---|---|---|
1 | = 2.25 | 4 | = 9 |
1.5 | = 3.375 | 4.5 | = 10.125 |
2 | = 4.5 | 5 | = 11.25 |
2.5 | = 5.625 | 5.5 | = 12.375 |
3 | = 6.75 | 6 | = 13.5 |
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length standardized to 4 inches (101.6 mm). It is used to measure the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Name of unit | Symbol | Definition | Relation to SI units | Unit System |
---|---|---|---|---|
hand | ≡ 4 in | ≡ 0.1016 m | Metric system Non-SI |
hands | spans | hands | spans |
---|---|---|---|
1 | = 0.44444444444444 | 4 | = 1.7777777777778 |
1.5 | = 0.66666666666667 | 4.5 | = 2 |
2 | = 0.88888888888889 | 5 | = 2.2222222222222 |
2.5 | = 1.1111111111111 | 5.5 | = 2.4444444444444 |
3 | = 1.3333333333333 | 6 | = 2.6666666666667 |
spans | hands |
---|---|
1 | = 2.25 |
0.4444444 | = 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 …) |