Convert kilometers to the mile

Symbol

Kilometer is frequently represented by the symbol ‘km’. In the US, UK, and Canadian militaries, the word "klick" is a slang term of the kilometer.

Description

Kilometer is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). It is equal to one thousand meters. The kilometer is the preferred measurement unit to express distances between geographical places on land in most of the world. The United States and the United Kingdom are the notable exceptions where the statute mile is used.

A kilometer is equivalent to one thousand meters. So, one kilometer can be written in scientific notations as 1×10^3 m (engineering notation) or 1 E+3 m (exponential notation) — both meaning 10^3 × 1 m.

There are 0.621 statute miles in a kilometer. This means 1 statute mile is equivalent to 1.60934 kilometers. So to convert mile to km, multiply the mile with 0.621.

A kilometer is also equivalent to 3281 feet. In reverse, 1 foot equals 1/3281 kilometers. For calculation of km to yd (kilometer to yards), remember that there are 1094 international yards in a kilometer. If you want to convert nautical miles to km, then multiply kilometer value by 0.540.

History

The term kilometer was first used in the 1800s. It was introduced during the development and adoption of the metric system of weights and measures in France in the late 1700s.

The term "myriamètre"(preferring 10,000 meters) was used several times in 1802. It was used in the text of Develey's book Physique d'Emile: ou, Principes de la science de la nature.

It was first recorded as "kilometer' in 1800-1810. In 1835, French maps were published in which scales are shown in kilometers. The term "kilometer" first became an official unit in 1867  in the Netherlands representing 1000 meters.

Finally, the prefix "myria-" and the associated "myriametre" were officially removed by the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) in 1935, designating the term "kilometer" as the accepted unit of length for measurements.

Use

This is the go-to unit for expressing land distances, road length etc. 

Symbol

The mile symbol ‘m’ was frequently employed before the widespread adoption of the metric system. However, "mi" became the standard mile symbol after the metric system to avoid confusion between miles and meters.

Description

Mile is a British imperial Unit and United States customary unit of distance. Sometimes the statute mile or international mile distinguishes it from other miles. Both miles are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English feet, or 1,760 yards.

For length conversion calculation from miles to meter, you need to multiply the mile value by 1609.344. This means one mile is standardized as exactly 1609.344 meters.

Converting mile to kilometers, a mile is exactly 1.609344 kilometers. So, a kilometer is equivalent to 1/1.609344 miles. In case of mile to inches conversion, 63,360 inches make a mile. While inch is a much smaller unit, nautical mile is larger than mile. To be precise, a mile is equal to 0.868976 nautical miles.

The term "mile" is also used to describe or translate a wide variety of units that are derived from or substantially equivalent to the Roman mile (about 1.48 km). That includes the nautical mile (now 1.852 km exactly), the Italian mile (roughly 1.852 km), and the Chinese mile (now 0.5 km or 500 m exactly).

History

Mile originated from the Roman mille passus, or “thousand paces,” which measured 5,000 Roman feet or footsteps. The Romans invented and used this unit 2,000 years ago. They introduced it to the world when they conquered Britain.

Use

Mile is used for expressing land distances between locations. Although Kilometer is more predominantly used these days, many countries use mile for the purpose.