Convert Acre to Section
Convert acres to sections instantly. 1 acre = 0.0015625 section — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Section to Acre converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Acre
An acre is an imperial unit of area equal to exactly 4046.8564224 m². It is the most widely used non-metric unit for land area, particularly in the US, UK, and India.
Originally defined in medieval England as the area one yoke of oxen could plow in a day, approximately 40 perches by 4 perches. Standardized via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Acres are the standard land measurement unit in the US (real estate, agriculture), the UK (rural property), and widely used in India (alongside hectares and traditional regional units). 1 acre = 4840 sq yd = 43,560 sq ft = 0.4047 hectare.
Medieval English farming origin; modern exact value standardized in 1959.
Section
A section is a unit of area used in the US Public Land Survey System, equal to 1 square mile (640 acres or approximately 2.59 km²).
Defined by the Land Ordinance of 1785 as 1/36 of a township. Sections are numbered 1-36 within each township.
Sections are the fundamental unit of US public land records in PLSS states (essentially the central and western US). Property descriptions like 'NE quarter of section 14, township 3 north, range 2 east' use this system.
Defined by the US Land Ordinance of 1785.
Acre to Section conversion formula
The relationship between acres and sections:
To convert acres to sections, multiply the value in acres by 0.0015625. To reverse, multiply sections by 640.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in sections updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Section to Acre converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert acres to sections
- Write down the value in acres (ac).
- Multiply that value by the factor 0.0015625.
- The product is the equivalent value in sections (sec).
- To reverse, multiply the section value by 640.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 ac to sec:
1 × 0.0015625 = 0.0015625 sec
Example 2 — Convert 100 ac to sec:
100 × 0.0015625 = 0.15625 sec
Real-world example — Coastal cruise distances
A 10-acre coastal sailing route converts to a different value in sections — useful for cruise operators who switch between maritime, aviation, and road-distance units depending on the leg of the trip.
10 ac × 0.0015625 = 0.015625 sec
Real-world example — Road-sign distances across systems
A 100-acre road sign converts cleanly into sections — exactly the conversion drivers planning trips abroad rely on when reading road signs in a different measurement system.
100 ac × 0.0015625 = 0.15625 sec
Real-world example — Endurance race distances
A 50-acre cycling or running race converts to a recognizable distance in sections. Endurance athletes coming from a different measurement system use this conversion to compare training plans across regions.
50 ac × 0.0015625 = 0.078125 sec
Acre to Section conversion table
Standard reference values for converting acres to sections:
| Acre [ac] | Section [sec] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 1.5625e-5 |
| 0.1 | 0.00015625 |
| 1 | 0.0015625 |
| 2 | 0.003125 |
| 3 | 0.0046875 |
| 4 | 0.00625 |
| 5 | 0.0078125 |
| 10 | 0.015625 |
| 20 | 0.03125 |
| 30 | 0.046875 |
| 40 | 0.0625 |
| 50 | 0.078125 |
| 100 | 0.15625 |
| 500 | 0.78125 |
| 1000 | 1.5625 |
Frequently asked questions
How many sections is 1 acre?
How do I convert acres to sections?
How do I convert sections back to acres?
How many sections is 100 acres?
Popular area unit conversions
Convert Acre to other area units
Show all Acre conversions
Metric / SI (16 units)
Imperial / US Customary (14 units)
US Survey (5 units)
Indian Subcontinent (16 units)
Other Regional (10 units)
Scientific / Physics (5 units)
Historical / Pre-metric European (6 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 ac = 0.0015625 sec) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Astronomical Union — System of Astronomical Constants
The IAU defines astronomical units including the AU (149597870700 m exactly) light-year and parsec used in astronomy and astrophysics.