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Feet (ft) to US Survey Feet (ft-us) conversion

Feet to US Survey Feet conversion table

Feet (ft)US Survey Feet (ft-us)
00
10.999998000004
21.999996000008
32.999994000012
43.999992000016
54.99999000002
65.999988000024
76.999986000028
87.999984000032
98.999982000036
109.99998000004
2019.99996000008
3029.99994000012
4039.99992000016
5049.9999000002
6059.99988000024
7069.99986000028
8079.99984000032
9089.99982000036
10099.9998000004
1000999.998000004

How to convert feet to us survey feet?

Converting between feet and US survey feet involves understanding the subtle difference in their definitions and applying a specific conversion factor. These units are very close in magnitude but not exactly equal.

Understanding the Conversion

The difference between a foot and a US survey foot arises from historical adjustments in surveying practices. While the international foot is now the standard, the US survey foot is still used in some surveying and mapping applications in the United States.

  • International Foot: Defined as exactly 0.3048 meters.
  • US Survey Foot: Defined such that 39.37 inches is exactly one meter (1200/3937 meters per foot).

Conversion Factors

  • 1 US Survey Foot ≈ 1.000002 International Feet
  • 1 International Foot ≈ 0.999998 US Survey Feet

These are the key values you'll need for accurate conversions.

Converting 1 Foot to US Survey Feet

To convert 1 international foot to US survey feet, you multiply by the conversion factor:

1 foot×0.999998 US survey feet1 foot≈0.999998 US survey feet1 \text{ foot} \times \frac{0.999998 \text{ US survey feet}}{1 \text{ foot}} \approx 0.999998 \text{ US survey feet}

Therefore, 1 international foot is approximately 0.999998 US survey feet.

Converting 1 US Survey Foot to Feet

To convert 1 US survey foot to international feet, you multiply by the reciprocal conversion factor:

1 US survey foot×1.000002 feet1 US survey foot≈1.000002 feet1 \text{ US survey foot} \times \frac{1.000002 \text{ feet}}{1 \text{ US survey foot}} \approx 1.000002 \text{ feet}

Therefore, 1 US survey foot is approximately 1.000002 international feet.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Converting Feet to US Survey Feet:

  1. Identify the length in international feet. For example, let's convert 500 international feet.

  2. Multiply by the conversion factor.

    500 feet×0.999998≈499.999 US survey feet500 \text{ feet} \times 0.999998 \approx 499.999 \text{ US survey feet}

  3. The result is the length in US survey feet.

Converting US Survey Feet to Feet:

  1. Identify the length in US survey feet. For example, let's convert 500 US survey feet.

  2. Multiply by the conversion factor.

    500 US survey feet×1.000002≈500.001 feet500 \text{ US survey feet} \times 1.000002 \approx 500.001 \text{ feet}

  3. The result is the length in international feet.

Law and Historical Context

The use of the US survey foot has a legal basis in the United States, particularly in older surveys. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides guidance on the use of both the international foot and the US survey foot. This distinction is crucial for ensuring accuracy and consistency in land surveying and mapping.

The difference is often considered negligible for most practical purposes. However, when dealing with large areas, these small differences can become significant. According to the National Geodetic Survey, "The difference between the U.S. Survey foot and the international foot is only two parts per million, but it matters for coordinate values in State Plane Coordinate Systems that extend for hundreds of kilometers."

Real-World Examples

  1. Land Surveying: Surveyors use the US survey foot when working with older deeds and plats that were originally recorded using this unit.
  2. Mapping: Some state plane coordinate systems are defined in US survey feet, requiring conversions when integrating data from different sources.
  3. Construction: While most modern construction uses international feet, older blueprints might reference US survey feet, especially in regions with a long history of surveying.

See below section for step by step unit conversion with formulas and explanations. Please refer to the table below for a list of all the US Survey Feet to other unit conversions.

What is feet?

Here's a breakdown of the unit "feet," covering its definition, history, and applications:

Understanding Feet

The foot is a unit of length in several different systems, including the US Customary Units and the British Imperial System. It's commonly used to measure lengths and distances in everyday contexts.

Definition and History

The foot is defined as exactly 12 inches. One international foot is equal to 0.3048 meters.

1 foot=12 inches=0.3048 meters1 \text{ foot} = 12 \text{ inches} = 0.3048 \text{ meters}

Historically, the foot was based on the human foot, but its length varied across different regions and times. The standardization of the foot measurement helped bring uniformity to various applications. Check out this Wikipedia article on Foot for more history.

Notable Associations

While there isn't a specific "law" tied directly to the foot, its consistent use in various fields like construction, sports, and real estate makes it a foundational unit. No specific person is heavily associated with the unit of measurement.

Real-World Examples

  • Height: People often measure their height in feet and inches (e.g., 5 feet 10 inches).
  • Room Dimensions: Room sizes are frequently described in feet (e.g., 12 feet by 15 feet).
  • Sports Fields: Field dimensions in sports like American football (where yards are used) are based on feet (3 feet in one yard).
  • Construction: Lumber and building materials are often sold in foot increments.

Conversions

Here are some common conversions involving feet:

  • Feet to Inches: Multiply the number of feet by 12.

    Inches=Feet×12\text{Inches} = \text{Feet} \times 12

  • Feet to Meters: Multiply the number of feet by 0.3048.

    Meters=Feet×0.3048\text{Meters} = \text{Feet} \times 0.3048

  • Feet to Yards: Divide the number of feet by 3.

    Yards=Feet3\text{Yards} = \frac{\text{Feet}}{3}

What is us survey feet?

What is US Survey Feet?

US Survey Feet is a unit of length used in the United States for land surveying. It is slightly different from the international foot. Understanding its origin and applications is crucial for accurate land measurements and legal descriptions.

Origin and Definition

The US Survey Foot (ftUS) is defined based on the Mendenhall Order of 1893, which related customary units to the metric system using the meter. At that time, it was defined as:

1 US Survey Foot = 39371200\frac{3937}{1200} meters

This value equates to approximately 0.3048006096 meters. This differs slightly from the international foot which is exactly 0.3048 meters. The difference, while seemingly small (2 parts per million), can accumulate significantly over large distances, impacting land boundaries and area calculations.

The Issue & Readjustment

The difference between the international foot and the US survey foot caused discrepancies, especially in states that relied heavily on the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). Over time, states have addressed this issue in various ways:

  • Many states have officially adopted the international foot for all new surveys.
  • Some states continue to use the US Survey Foot. It's crucial to know which definition is in use for any particular survey or land description.
  • Conversion factors are often provided in legal documents to clarify which foot is being used.

For more information about each state's definitions of feet, please read NOAA's definition of US Survey foot.

Usage and Real-World Examples

While its use is declining, the US Survey Foot is still relevant in some contexts, especially when dealing with older surveys and legal descriptions. Understanding its magnitude helps grasp spatial relationships:

  • Property Boundaries: In states where it is still used, a land description stating a lot is 100 US Survey Feet wide means it is approximately 30.48006096 meters wide.
  • Land Area Calculations: Area calculations, like acres, derived from measurements in US Survey Feet will differ slightly from those derived from international feet.
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS): GIS databases may contain data referenced to US Survey Feet, requiring proper transformation when integrating with data using the international foot.

Interesting Facts

  • The slight difference between the two definitions of a foot has caused legal disputes related to property boundaries.
  • The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) provides tools and resources for converting between the US Survey Foot and the international foot.

Complete Feet conversion table

Enter # of Feet
Convert 1 ft to other unitsResult
Feet to Nanometers (ft to nm)304799990.2464
Feet to Micrometers (ft to μm)304799.9902464
Feet to Millimeters (ft to mm)304.7999902464
Feet to Centimeters (ft to cm)30.47999902464
Feet to Decimeters (ft to dm)3.047999902464
Feet to Meters (ft to m)0.3047999902464
Feet to Kilometers (ft to km)0.0003047999902464
Feet to Mils (ft to mil)12000
Feet to Inches (ft to in)12
Feet to Yards (ft to yd)0.3333333333333
Feet to US Survey Feet (ft to ft-us)0.999998000004
Feet to Fathoms (ft to fathom)0.1666666666667
Feet to Miles (ft to mi)0.0001893939393939
Feet to Nautical Miles (ft to nMi)0.0001645787114145

Length conversions