The inch, once the size of a barleycorn kernel, has fascinating origins. Early English measurement systems based it on the width of a man’s thumb. In the 14th century, King Edward II of England formalized it, defining an inch as the length of three barleycorns laid end to end. Historically, the inch was crucial for countless innovations, especially in Anglo-Saxon countries, influencing everything from watchmaking to industrial design.
Today, the inch still plays an integral role in areas like screen sizes and standardized paper dimensions, delighting both tech enthusiasts and everyday users. Interestingly, in surveying, an inch is divided into hundredths in the US, showing its adaptability in precision tasks. Despite the global shift towards the metric system, the inch endures, showcasing its resilience and continued relevance.
The fathom, an intriguing unit of length measurement, is primarily used in nautical contexts to measure water depth. Originally derived from the Old English word “fæðm,” meaning “to embrace,” it represents the span of a person’s outstretched arms, approximately six feet. This makes it a convenient measurement for sailors in the past who used to determine depth using a weighted rope called a “lead line.”
Following centuries of maritime tradition, the fathom remains a vital tool in oceanography and the maritime industry. It’s fascinating to note that it also plays a symbolic role, metaphorically plunging into “fathomless” depths to denote the mysteries of the sea. While modern technology has advanced far beyond lead lines, the fathom remains a cherished part of nautical lexicon.
| Inches | Fathoms |
|---|---|
0
in
|
0
fathom
|
1
in
|
0.0138889
fathom
|
2
in
|
0.0277778
fathom
|
3
in
|
0.0416667
fathom
|
4
in
|
0.0555556
fathom
|
5
in
|
0.0694444
fathom
|
6
in
|
0.0833333
fathom
|
7
in
|
0.0972222
fathom
|
8
in
|
0.111111
fathom
|
9
in
|
0.125
fathom
|
10
in
|
0.138889
fathom
|
11
in
|
0.152778
fathom
|
12
in
|
0.166667
fathom
|
13
in
|
0.180556
fathom
|
14
in
|
0.194444
fathom
|
15
in
|
0.208333
fathom
|
16
in
|
0.222222
fathom
|
17
in
|
0.236111
fathom
|
18
in
|
0.25
fathom
|
19
in
|
0.263889
fathom
|
20
in
|
0.277778
fathom
|
21
in
|
0.291667
fathom
|
22
in
|
0.305556
fathom
|
23
in
|
0.319444
fathom
|
24
in
|
0.333333
fathom
|
25
in
|
0.347222
fathom
|
26
in
|
0.361111
fathom
|
27
in
|
0.375
fathom
|
28
in
|
0.388889
fathom
|
29
in
|
0.402778
fathom
|
30
in
|
0.416667
fathom
|
31
in
|
0.430556
fathom
|
32
in
|
0.444444
fathom
|
33
in
|
0.458333
fathom
|
34
in
|
0.472222
fathom
|
35
in
|
0.486111
fathom
|
36
in
|
0.5
fathom
|
37
in
|
0.513889
fathom
|
38
in
|
0.527778
fathom
|
39
in
|
0.541667
fathom
|
40
in
|
0.555556
fathom
|
41
in
|
0.569444
fathom
|
42
in
|
0.583333
fathom
|
43
in
|
0.597222
fathom
|
44
in
|
0.611111
fathom
|
45
in
|
0.625
fathom
|
46
in
|
0.638889
fathom
|
47
in
|
0.652778
fathom
|
48
in
|
0.666667
fathom
|
49
in
|
0.680556
fathom
|
50
in
|
0.694444
fathom
|
51
in
|
0.708333
fathom
|
52
in
|
0.722222
fathom
|
53
in
|
0.736111
fathom
|
54
in
|
0.75
fathom
|
55
in
|
0.763889
fathom
|
56
in
|
0.777778
fathom
|
57
in
|
0.791667
fathom
|
58
in
|
0.805556
fathom
|
59
in
|
0.819444
fathom
|
60
in
|
0.833333
fathom
|
61
in
|
0.847222
fathom
|
62
in
|
0.861111
fathom
|
63
in
|
0.875
fathom
|
64
in
|
0.888889
fathom
|
65
in
|
0.902778
fathom
|
66
in
|
0.916667
fathom
|
67
in
|
0.930556
fathom
|
68
in
|
0.944444
fathom
|
69
in
|
0.958333
fathom
|
70
in
|
0.972222
fathom
|
71
in
|
0.986111
fathom
|
72
in
|
1
fathom
|
73
in
|
1.01389
fathom
|
74
in
|
1.02778
fathom
|
75
in
|
1.04167
fathom
|
76
in
|
1.05556
fathom
|
77
in
|
1.06944
fathom
|
78
in
|
1.08333
fathom
|
79
in
|
1.09722
fathom
|
80
in
|
1.11111
fathom
|
81
in
|
1.125
fathom
|
82
in
|
1.13889
fathom
|
83
in
|
1.15278
fathom
|
84
in
|
1.16667
fathom
|
85
in
|
1.18056
fathom
|
86
in
|
1.19444
fathom
|
87
in
|
1.20833
fathom
|
88
in
|
1.22222
fathom
|
89
in
|
1.23611
fathom
|
90
in
|
1.25
fathom
|
91
in
|
1.26389
fathom
|
92
in
|
1.27778
fathom
|
93
in
|
1.29167
fathom
|
94
in
|
1.30556
fathom
|
95
in
|
1.31944
fathom
|
96
in
|
1.33333
fathom
|
97
in
|
1.34722
fathom
|
98
in
|
1.36111
fathom
|
99
in
|
1.375
fathom
|
100
in
|
1.38889
fathom
|
If you like the website, share it on social media.