I should know this

I should know this
by ndtnguy (2022-11-28 11:22:09)
Edited on 2022-11-28 14:07:13

In reply to: How many rods in one mile? posted by Otter

Like all organic, traditional units of measurement, the rod was derived from real things: the staffs used by surveyors. There were so many links in a chain, so many chains in a rod, so many rods in a furlong, etc.

I have attempted to memorize this particular conversion before and failed. Edit: and it appears I was even more wrong than I recalled, because chain is the larger measurement and rod the smaller.

Replies:

The metric system is derived from real things too - fontoknow 2022-11-28 15:44:35
- Not in any functional sense - ndtnguy 2022-11-28 16:11:16
  - It only does in terms of speaking about distance in meters. * - kellykapowski 2022-11-30 02:24:44
  - A rod or a chain are even more arbitrary - fontoknow 2022-11-28 17:39:37
    - Not at all - ndtnguy 2022-11-28 19:07:20
      - Rods had different lengths in different locales - fontoknow 2022-11-28 19:36:31
        A foot did as well. - daviehamsufferer97 2022-11-29 10:34:36
        Better for stomping grapes. * - Bacchus 2022-11-30 10:47:44