Mile | distance, length, speed (2024)

mile, any of various units of distance, such as the statute mile of 5,280 feet (1.609 km). It originated from the Roman mille passus, or “thousand paces,” which measured 5,000 Roman feet.

About the year 1500 the “old London” mile was defined as eight furlongs. At that time the furlong, measured by a larger northern (German) foot, was 625 feet, and thus the mile equaled 5,000 feet. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the mile gained an additional 280 feet—to 5,280—under a statute of 1593 that confirmed the use of a shorter foot that made the length of the furlong 660 feet.

Mile | distance, length, speed (1)

Britannica Quiz

Fun Facts of Measurement & Math

Elsewhere in the British Isles, longer miles were used, including the Irish mile of 6,720 feet (2.048 km) and the Scottish mile of 5,952 English feet (1.814 km).

A nautical mile was originally defined as the length on the Earth’s surface of one minute (1/60 of a degree) of arc along a meridian (north-south line of longitude). Because of a slight flattening of the Earth in polar latitudes, however, the measurement of a nautical mile increases slightly toward the poles. For many years the British nautical mile, or admiralty mile, was set at 6,080 feet (1.85318 km), while the U.S. nautical mile was set at 6,080.20 feet (1.85324 km). In 1929 the nautical mile was redefined as exactly 1.852 km (about 6,076.11549 feet or 1.1508 statute miles) at an international conference held in Monaco, although the United States did not change over to the new international nautical mile until 1954. The measure remains in universal use in both marine and air transportation. The knot is one nautical mile per hour.

Mile | distance, length, speed (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for speed and length? ›

The formula speed = distance ÷ time can be rearranged, just like any other equation. The formula can be rearranged in three ways: speed = distance ÷ time. distance = speed × time.

Why is mile 5280 feet? ›

At that time the furlong, measured by a larger northern (German) foot, was 625 feet, and thus the mile equaled 5,000 feet. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the mile gained an additional 280 feet—to 5,280—under a statute of 1593 that confirmed the use of a shorter foot that made the length of the furlong 660 feet.

What distance is 1 mile long? ›

How Long Is a Mile? A mile is equal to 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards. (This also works out to 1609.344 meters or 1.60934 kilometers.)

How do you find speed formula? ›

How do you find speed in physics? Speed can be found by using the values of distance and time given for a certain movement. The formula to find speed is S = d/t, where S is speed, d is distance, and t is time.

Is speed and length the same? ›

Speed affects duration, not length. It affects “how long” it takes to travel a fixed distance. Imagine a distance of 10 light years. Now, at 50% of c, it takes 20 years to cover that distance, but, because you and your clocks run slower, the faster you go, the trip “feels” like it takes 17.32 years instead of 20 years.

What is the formula for mile? ›

1 mile is equal to 1.609344 kilometers. Thus, to convert kilometers to miles, simply multiply the distance in kilometers by 0.621371.

What is the formula for 1 mile? ›

Miles and Feet

1 yard feet. So, 1760 yards = 3 × 1760 = 5280 feet. 1760 yards equals 1 mile.

How many mph is a 5 minute mile? ›

I set it at 12 miles per hour—a five-minute-mile pace—and tried to hang on for a minute and 14 seconds.

Why is 3 feet called a yard? ›

A yard was originally the length of a man's belt or girdle. In the 12th century, King Henry I of England fixed the yard as the distance from his nose to the thumb of his outstretched arm. A yardstick is equal to one yard or 3 feet.

How far is 1 knot? ›

The term “knot”, in reference to currents, is defined as one nautical mile per hour and is used to measure speed. A nautical mile is slightly more than a standard mile.

How many feet makes 1 mile? ›

One mile = 5,280 feet.

How fast is 1 mile in 1 minutes? ›

One mile per minute is 60 miles per hour. The calculation starts with knowing that there are 60 minutes per hour. 1 mile per minute x 60 minutes per hour = 60 miles per hour. 1 mile per minute is also 88 feet per second.

How many miles is 10,000 steps? ›

A total of 10,000 steps equals 4 to 5 miles. The number of steps per mile varies from person to person and depends on your stride length. Knowing how many steps are typical for a mile, you can begin to envision how far you need to walk to log 10,000 steps per day. It also works in reverse.

What is a fast mile? ›

A noncompetitive, relatively in-shape runner usually completes one mile in about 9 to 10 minutes, on average. If you're new to running, you might run one mile in closer to 12 to 15 minutes as you build up endurance. Elite marathon runners average a mile in around 4 to 5 minutes.

What is speed and write formula? ›

Speed is defined as the rate of change of distance with time. Thus, the SI unit of speed is given as the combination of the basic unit of distance and the basic unit of time. Speed = Distance Time = Meter Second.

How do you find length with speed and frequency? ›

The wavelength is calculated from the wave speed and frequency by λ = wave speed/frequency, or λ = v / f.

How do you find speed with frequency and length? ›

If the wavelength is given, the formula to find frequency is speed of the wave divided by the wavelength. If the speed of a wave is 6 m/s and the wavelength is 2 m, then the frequency is 6 /2 = 3 Hz.

What is the formula for the speed of a train? ›

The formula of t = d/s means time equals distance divided by speed, which eventually gives us the time calculated in the train problems. Ans. To find the speed in train problems, the application of the formula speed = distance divided by time.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Saturnina Altenwerth DVM

Last Updated:

Views: 5890

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (44 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Saturnina Altenwerth DVM

Birthday: 1992-08-21

Address: Apt. 237 662 Haag Mills, East Verenaport, MO 57071-5493

Phone: +331850833384

Job: District Real-Estate Architect

Hobby: Skateboarding, Taxidermy, Air sports, Painting, Knife making, Letterboxing, Inline skating

Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.