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Mile
*** Shopping-Tip: Mile
A '''mile''' is any of a number of
units of
distance, each in the magnitude of
1 E3 m 1–10 km. In (contemporary)
English unit English contexts ''mile'' refers to the '''statute mile''' of 1760
yards, which is about 1609
metre m, or to the ''(international)
nautical mile'', being exactly 1852 m.
There have been several abbreviations for mile, with and without trailing period: mi, ml, m, M.
NIST now uses and recommends “mi�, but
miles per hour are usually shortened to “m.p.h.� or “MPH� instead of “mi/h�.
The original mile
A unit of distance called a ''mile'' was first used by the
Ancient Rome Romans and originally denoted a distance of 1000 (double) steps ("mille passuum" in
Latin language Latin), which amounted, at approximately 0.75 m per (single) step, to 1500 metres per mile.
Types of mile
In modern usage, various distances are referred to as a ''mile''.
Statute miles
A statute of the English parliament during the reign of Elizabeth I established the statute mile as eight
furlongs or 1760 yards, that is 5280
foot (unit) feet or 63360
inches. Prior to the statute, the mile in England was commonly considered 5000 feet, a length not divisible into yards, rods, or furlongs without fractions. There are two slightly different statute miles in current use:
* The '''international mile''' is the distance typically meant when the word ''mile'' is used without qualification. It is defined to be precisely 1760 international
yards (by definition, 0.9144 m each) and is therefore exactly 1609.344 metres (1.609344 km). It is used in the
United States and the
United Kingdom as part of the
U.S. customary units U.S. customary and
Imperial unit Imperial systems of units, respectively. The international mile is equivalent to 8
furlongs, 80
chain (length) chains or 5280 international
foot (unit of length) feet.
* The '''U.S. survey mile''' is based on an inch defined by 1 m = 39.37 inches exactly. It is equal to 5280 U.S. survey feet, 6336/3937
kilometre km or approximately 1609.347 m. One ''international mile'' is equal to 0.999 998 survey miles. The survey mile is used by the United States
Public Land Survey System.
Nautical miles
Image:RechtwKugeldreieck.png great circle.html" title="Meaning of frame frame|thumb| 150 px|right|'''On the Utility of the Nautical Mile'''
:Each Circle Shown... is a [[great circle—The
analog of a line in Spherical Trigonometry— and hence the shortest path connecting two points on the globular surface..html" title="Meaning of thumb| 150 px|right|'''On the Utility of the Nautical Mile'''
:Each Circle Shown... is a [[great circle">frame|thumb| 150 px|right|'''On the Utility of the Nautical Mile'''
:Each Circle Shown... is a [[great circle—The
analog of a line in Spherical Trigonometry— and hence the shortest path connecting two points on the globular surface.">thumb| 150 px|right|'''On the Utility of the Nautical Mile'''
:Each Circle Shown... is a [[great circle">frame|thumb| 150 px|right|'''On the Utility of the Nautical Mile'''
:Each Circle Shown... is a [[great circle—The
analog of a line in Spherical Trigonometry— and hence the shortest path connecting two points on the globular surface.
* The '''international
nautical mile''' originated from the '''
geographical mile''' (one and one-eighth by the original definition) and is now internationally defined to be '''1852
m'''; but it's '''pervasive definition and utility''' is based in the original attempt (definition) to
rationalize (math) rationalize mathematically (
Scale factor scale)
miles–
circumference–of–the–
earth into a useful integer multiple of length (miles) related to (
Spherical trigonometry) the degrees of spherical rotation along a
great circle; it works out as approximately 5,940
feet or (in demanding fast maneuvering approximations, close-enough to an even) '''2,000
yards or
Metres''' to be of great utility.
*The '''Nautical mile''' is thus used in day-to-day long distance navigation estimates or important close-in restricted water
Harbour pilot piloting of
vessels
ship large or
boat small. In the former case, it greatly simplifies the number of terms in a complex equation; in the latter case, it serves as a good-estimate basis for keeping to a deep water
Channel (geography) channel and off the rocks and
shoals.
*It is still universally used in that respect, although science has refined its base standard into the metric system without impacting its utility one way or another a jot.
*It is universally used for aviation, naval and maritime purposes, specifically as it gives a good estimate related to degrees in an integer form without excessive error of approximation.
* The ''Collins English Dictionary'' defines a '''sea mile''' as 6076 feet (1852 m), a truer reflection of the actually mean circumference of the earth which is an squashed orange shape (See:
Oblate spheroid), not and
ideal sphere, obviating the need for a precise definition that is absolutely accurate.
* By definition one nautical mile is one minute between latitudes (or alternatively, one minute between longitudes on the equator, thus the circumference of the Earth is 21600 nautical miles).
Usage of the mile
:''See also:''
Metrication
The processes of
metrication have seen the mile lose favour as a unit of measurement in most countries of the world. Currently the mile can only be found on roadsigns in the
USA,
United Kingdom UK,
Liberia and
Myanmar. However
knot (speed) knots (nautical miles per hour) remain commonly used in international air and sea transport.
Other miles
* The '''
Data mile''' is used in
radar-related subjects and is equal to 6000
feet (1.8288
kilometres).
* The '''Dutch mile''', was nearly the 19th part of a
Degree (angle) degree (~5.8
kilometres).
* The '''German mile''' was reckoned to be the 15th part of a
Degree (angle) degree (and thus about four
nautical miles in length or 6.4
kilometres).
* The '''Irish mile''' was equal to 2240
yards (2048.256
metres).
* The '''Italian mile''' (~1.5
kilometres) was a thousand paces of 5 Roman feet each (the Roman foot being one fifth of an
inch less than the London
Foot (unit of length) foot).
* The '''Long mile''', traditionally used by the Danes, Swedes, and Hungarians, was about a German mile and a half or 9.6
kilometre. Today in
Norway and
Sweden, a distance of 10
kilometre is most commonly referred to as a '''mile''' or '''metric mile''', see '''
mil'''.
* The term '''
Metric mile''' is used in sports such as
athletics and
speedskating, to denote a distance of 1.5
kilometres.
* The '''Polish mile''' was nearly equal to the Dutch mile.
* The '''
Mile (Scots) Scottish mile''' was equal to 1976.5
yards (1807.3116
metres).
See also
*
Square mile
*
League (unit) League
*
Imperial units
*
U.S. customary units
*
Ancient weights and measures
*
Medieval weights and measures
*
Fibonacci sequence application: convert to kilometers
Reference
[http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0108&L=nisus&T=0&F=&S=&P=42289 'Of Divers Measures'], in
Laurence Echard,
1741, ''The Gazetteer's or Newsman's Interpreter'', London: Ballard et al. (first published
1703)
External links
-
NIST General Tables of Units of Measurement
Category:Ancient Rome
Category:Units of length
Category:Imperial units
Category:Customary units in the United States
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1,609.344
*** Shopping-Tip: Mile
