Convert Rod to Foot
Convert rods to feet instantly. 1 rod = 16.5 foot — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Foot to Rod converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Rod
A rod is an Imperial unit of length equal to 16.5 feet (about 5.03 m). It is also called a perch or pole. Used historically in English and American land surveying.
The rod derives from medieval English land-surveying practice. Standardised at 16.5 feet (= 25 links of a surveyor's chain = 1/4 chain) by Edmund Gunter in 1620.
Rods are the standard unit in legacy US public-land-survey records, where lot dimensions are typically expressed in rods and chains. Modern surveyors generally use feet or meters but legacy deeds remain in rods.
Defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620 as 16.5 feet via the chain-based survey system; 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.
Rod to Foot conversion formula
The relationship between rods and feet:
To convert rods to feet, multiply the value in rods by 16.5. To reverse, multiply feet by 0.0606060606.
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 Rod converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert rods to feet
- Write down the value in rods (rd).
- Multiply that value by the factor 16.5.
- The product is the equivalent value in feet (ft).
- To reverse, multiply the foot value by 0.0606060606.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 rd to ft:
1 × 16.5 = 16.5 ft
Example 2 — Convert 100 rd to ft:
100 × 16.5 = 1650 ft
Real-world example — Reference scenario in case of fallback
Conversion between human-scale length units is the everyday workflow of architecture, athletics, and apparel design — three of the most common contexts that span metric and imperial systems.
1 rd × 16.5 = 16.5 ft
Real-world example — Adult height conversion
A 1.8-rod-tall person measures a value in feet that converts the height to the unit favoured by American forms, schools, or driver's licences. This is daily routine for anyone living between metric and imperial systems.
1.8 rd × 16.5 = 29.7 ft
Real-world example — Fabric purchase length
Two rods of fabric equals a value in feet essential for tailors and textile buyers sourcing material from international suppliers that quote in different units.
2 rd × 16.5 = 33 ft
Rod to Foot conversion table
Standard reference values for converting rods to feet:
| Rod [rd] | Foot [ft] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.165 |
| 0.1 | 1.65 |
| 1 | 16.5 |
| 2 | 33 |
| 3 | 49.5 |
| 4 | 66 |
| 5 | 82.5 |
| 10 | 165 |
| 20 | 330 |
| 30 | 495 |
| 40 | 660 |
| 50 | 825 |
| 100 | 1650 |
| 500 | 8250 |
| 1000 | 16500 |
Frequently asked questions
How many feet is 1 rod?
How do I convert rods to feet?
How do I convert feet back to rods?
How many feet is 100 rods?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Rod to other length units
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Metric / SI (4 units)
Imperial / US Customary (26 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 rd = 16.5 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.