What is a chain (US survey) used for?

It has historically been used in U.S. land surveying and cadastral work to measure distances, especially in old land deeds and property boundary descriptions.

How many feet are in one chain (US survey)?

One chain (US survey) equals approximately 66.0001320003 feet.

Why is the US survey foot different from the international foot?

The US survey foot is a specific definition used historically in surveying, differing slightly in length from the international foot, which requires care in high-accuracy conversions.

Can I use this converter for modern surveying?

This converter is best suited for interpreting historical survey data rather than direct modern measurements, as the unit is largely historical.

How to Convert from Chain (US survey) [ch] to Foot [ft]?

Convert length measurements from the traditional US survey chain (ch) to feet (ft) using this easy-to-use online converter. Ideal for historical survey data and modern mapping needs.

Chain (US survey) [ch]

Foot [ft]

Please check your input. It must be a valid numeric value.

Chain (US survey) [ch] to Foot [ft] Conversion Table

Chain (US survey) [ch]	Foot [ft]

Custom Unit Conversion Table Generator – Instant Printable Conversion Tables

Start Value

Enter the starting number (positive decimal or integer ≥ 0). Example: 0.1, 1, 5.

End Value

Enter the ending number (positive decimal or integer > Start Value). Example: 10, 50, 100.

Interval

Enter the step size (positive decimal > 0 and < End Value – Start Value). Example: 1.0, 2.5.

Chain (US survey) [ch] to Foot [ft] Conversion Table
Chain (US survey) [ch]	Foot [ft]

Explore More Length Units Converter

What Is This Tool?

This converter allows users to transform values from the US survey chain (ch), a historic unit used in land surveying, into feet (ft), a widely used unit for expressing length in many contexts including construction and mapping.

How to Use This Tool?

Enter the length value in chain (US survey) units.
Select 'chain (US survey) [ch]' as the input unit if not pre-selected.
Choose 'foot [ft]' as the output unit.
Click the convert button to see the equivalent length in feet.
Use the results for construction, mapping, or property boundary analysis.

Key Features

Accurately converts chain (US survey) units to feet with a defined conversion rate.
Supports interpretation of historical land survey and cadastral measurements.
Browser-based and easy to use without installation.
Facilitates mapping and GIS applications by translating legacy measurement units.

Examples

2 chains (US survey) converts to 132.0002640006 feet.
0.5 chain (US survey) converts to 33.000066 feet.

Common Use Cases

Interpreting distances in historical US land deeds and plats.
Converting legacy survey measurements for modern engineering or GIS purposes.
Describing property boundary lengths in rural land surveys.
Applying survey data in civil engineering and development projects.

Tips & Best Practices

Ensure you are aware of the US survey foot definition to avoid confusion with the international foot.
Use this converter primarily when working with historical land survey data and legacy measurements.
Double-check converted values when accuracy is critical due to minor rounding differences.
Incorporate converted data carefully into GIS and mapping software for consistent results.

Limitations

The US survey chain uses the US survey foot which is slightly different from the international foot, requiring attention in precision tasks.
This unit is mostly historical and not commonly used in current measurements.
Small rounding variations can arise because of the definitions and conversion constants.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a chain (US survey) used for?: It has historically been used in U.S. land surveying and cadastral work to measure distances, especially in old land deeds and property boundary descriptions.
How many feet are in one chain (US survey)?: One chain (US survey) equals approximately 66.0001320003 feet.
Why is the US survey foot different from the international foot?: The US survey foot is a specific definition used historically in surveying, differing slightly in length from the international foot, which requires care in high-accuracy conversions.
Can I use this converter for modern surveying?: This converter is best suited for interpreting historical survey data rather than direct modern measurements, as the unit is largely historical.

Key Terminology

Chain (US survey): A traditional unit of length equal to 66 US survey feet, historically used in land surveying and subdivided into 100 links.
Foot (ft): A unit of length in the imperial and U.S. customary systems, defined exactly as 0.3048 meters, commonly used for distances in everyday and surveying contexts.
US Survey Foot: A foot measurement used in surveying that differs slightly from the international foot, primarily used in legacy land surveys.

Quick Knowledge Check

What is the approximate length of one US survey chain in feet?

100 feet

66.0001320003 feet

50 feet

In which fields is the chain (US survey) unit mainly used?

Cooking measurements

Land surveying and cadastral work

Computer storage

Why should you be cautious when converting US survey feet to international feet?

Because the US survey foot is exactly the same as the international foot

Because the US survey foot is slightly different from the international foot

Because they measure weight, not length

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