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

US Survey Feet to Feet conversion table

US Survey Feet (ft-us)Feet (ft)
00
11.000002
22.000004
33.000006
44.000008
55.00001
66.000012
77.000014
88.000016
99.000018
1010.00002
2020.00004
3030.00006
4040.00008
5050.0001
6060.00012
7070.00014
8080.00016
9090.00018
100100.0002
10001000.002

How to convert us survey feet to feet?

The difference between US Survey Feet and International Feet is subtle but important, especially in surveying and mapping. Understanding this conversion is crucial for accuracy in land measurements.

Understanding the Conversion

The US Survey Foot is slightly different from the International Foot, which is the standard foot used globally.

  • International Foot: Exactly 0.3048 meters.
  • US Survey Foot: Approximately 0.3048006096 meters (3937/1200 exactly).

This difference arises from historical definitions and surveying practices. Although the difference is tiny (2 parts per million), it can accumulate over large distances, leading to significant discrepancies.

Step-by-Step Conversion

Converting 1 US Survey Foot to Feet

Since 1 US Survey Foot is very close to 1 International Foot, the conversion is almost 1:1.

1 US Survey Foot≈0.999998 Feet1 \text{ US Survey Foot} \approx 0.999998 \text{ Feet}

Or more precisely:

1 US Survey Foot=12003937 Meters≈0.3048006096 meters1 \text{ US Survey Foot} = \frac{1200}{3937} \text{ Meters} \approx 0.3048006096 \text{ meters}

0.3048006096 meters÷0.3048 meters/foot≈1.000002 Feet0.3048006096 \text{ meters} \div 0.3048 \text{ meters/foot} \approx 1.000002 \text{ Feet}

So, to convert 1 US Survey Foot to Feet:

1 US Survey Foot×1.000002≈1.000002 Feet1 \text{ US Survey Foot} \times 1.000002 \approx 1.000002 \text{ Feet}

Which is essentially 1 foot for most practical purposes.

Converting 1 Foot to US Survey Feet

To convert 1 Foot to US Survey Feet, you perform the inverse operation:

1 Foot≈0.999998 US Survey Feet1 \text{ Foot} \approx 0.999998 \text{ US Survey Feet}

Or more precisely:

1 Foot=0.3048 Meters1 \text{ Foot} = 0.3048 \text{ Meters}

0.3048 meters÷0.3048006096 meters/US Survey Foot≈0.999998 US Survey Feet0.3048 \text{ meters} \div 0.3048006096 \text{ meters/US Survey Foot} \approx 0.999998 \text{ US Survey Feet}

So, to convert 1 Foot to US Survey Feet:

1 Foot×0.999998≈0.999998 US Survey Feet1 \text{ Foot} \times 0.999998 \approx 0.999998 \text{ US Survey Feet}

Again, for most practical purposes, this is essentially 1 US Survey Foot.

Law and Historical Context

The US Survey Foot was maintained due to its use in many state plane coordinate systems. The National Geodetic Survey (NGS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provides resources and information on this topic. The decision to phase out the US Survey Foot in favor of the International Foot has been discussed for many years to promote standardization. The planned change has been moved many times and is now to be decided in 2023. The current official date of deprecation is December 31, 2022.

Real-World Examples

The conversion between US Survey Feet and Feet is crucial in the following scenarios:

  1. Land Surveying:
    • When dealing with historical land records, especially in the United States, the dimensions are often recorded in US Survey Feet. Converting these measurements to modern International Feet is essential for accurate mapping and construction.
  2. Construction and Engineering:
    • Large-scale projects that span several state plane zones must account for the subtle differences between the two units to avoid cumulative errors in dimensions and positioning.
  3. Geographic Information Systems (GIS):
    • GIS professionals need to ensure consistency when integrating spatial data from various sources, some of which may use US Survey Feet.
  4. ** кадастровый план:**
    • Cadastral surveys, which establish and define land boundaries, require high precision. Ensuring the correct foot definition is used avoids legal disputes and inaccuracies in property records.

Additional Resources

  • National Geodetic Survey (NGS): Provides detailed information on the US Survey Foot and its relationship to the State Plane Coordinate System. https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/
  • Official Federal Register Notice: Gives full details on the planned deprecation of the US Survey Foot and the reasons behind this decision.

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 Feet to other unit conversions.

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.

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}

Complete US Survey Feet conversion table

Enter # of US Survey Feet
Convert 1 ft-us to other unitsResult
US Survey Feet to Nanometers (ft-us to nm)304800599.84638
US Survey Feet to Micrometers (ft-us to μm)304800.59984638
US Survey Feet to Millimeters (ft-us to mm)304.80059984638
US Survey Feet to Centimeters (ft-us to cm)30.480059984638
US Survey Feet to Decimeters (ft-us to dm)3.0480059984638
US Survey Feet to Meters (ft-us to m)0.3048005998464
US Survey Feet to Kilometers (ft-us to km)0.0003048005998464
US Survey Feet to Mils (ft-us to mil)12000.024
US Survey Feet to Inches (ft-us to in)12.000024
US Survey Feet to Yards (ft-us to yd)0.333334
US Survey Feet to Feet (ft-us to ft)1.000002
US Survey Feet to Fathoms (ft-us to fathom)0.166667
US Survey Feet to Miles (ft-us to mi)0.0001893943181818
US Survey Feet to Nautical Miles (ft-us to nMi)0.0001645790405719

Length conversions