Convert Chain to Foot
Convert chains to feet instantly. 1 chain = 66 foot — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Foot to Chain converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Chain
A chain is an Imperial unit of length equal to 66 feet (20.1168 m), or exactly 4 rods or 100 links. It is the central unit in the Gunter chain-based land-survey system.
Defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620 specifically to make land-area arithmetic easy: 10 square chains = 1 acre exactly. The 66-foot length and 100-link subdivision were chosen so chain measurements could be added decimally.
Chains are the fundamental unit of legacy US public land surveys (the entire US township-and-range system uses chains). Modern survey work generally uses meters or feet, but legacy deeds remain in chains.
Invented by Edmund Gunter in 1620; standardised throughout English and American land survey; became exact via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Foot
A foot is an Imperial and US customary unit of length equal to 12 inches or exactly 0.3048 meters. It is the most commonly used unit of length in everyday measurement in the United States.
The foot's origin is literally the length of a human foot, used as a measurement standard since antiquity. The English foot was standardized at various points in history; the modern international foot (0.3048 m exactly) was fixed by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Feet are used in the US for body height, building dimensions, room sizes, road sign clearances, aviation altitude (feet above sea level), and most everyday distance estimation. The UK uses feet informally for height despite officially being metric.
Used since antiquity; standardized to 0.3048 m exactly by the International Yard and Pound Agreement of 1959. Aviation worldwide uses feet for altitude despite metric adoption elsewhere.
Chain to Foot conversion formula
The relationship between chains and feet:
To convert chains to feet, multiply the value in chains by 66. To reverse, multiply feet by 0.0151515152.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in feet updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Foot to Chain converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert chains to feet
- Write down the value in chains (ch).
- Multiply that value by the factor 66.
- The product is the equivalent value in feet (ft).
- To reverse, multiply the foot value by 0.0151515152.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 ch to ft:
1 × 66 = 66 ft
Example 2 — Convert 100 ch to ft:
100 × 66 = 6600 ft
Chain to Foot conversion table
Standard reference values for converting chains to feet:
| Chain [ch] | Foot [ft] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.66 |
| 0.1 | 6.6 |
| 1 | 66 |
| 2 | 132 |
| 3 | 198 |
| 4 | 264 |
| 5 | 330 |
| 10 | 660 |
| 20 | 1320 |
| 30 | 1980 |
| 40 | 2640 |
| 50 | 3300 |
| 100 | 6600 |
| 500 | 33000 |
| 1000 | 66000 |
Frequently asked questions
How many feet is 1 chain?
How do I convert chains to feet?
How do I convert feet back to chains?
How many feet is 100 chains?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Chain to other length units
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Metric / SI (4 units)
Imperial / US Customary (26 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 ch = 66 ft) 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.