Digit to Link (Gunter's) Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert digits to links with our free online length converter.
Digit to Link (Gunter's) Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Digit).
- The converted value in Link (Gunter's) will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Length category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Digit to Link (Gunter's)
Converting Digit to Link (Gunter's) involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Digit = 0.094697 linksExample Calculation:
Convert 10 digits: 10 × 0.094697 = 0.94697 links
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
What is a Digit and a Link (Gunter's)?
The Digit, also known as the finger or fingerbreadth, is an ancient, anthropomorphic unit of length, originally based on the breadth (width) of a human adult finger (typically the index finger). As a body-based unit, its value varied significantly depending on the person, time period, and culture.
Historically, it was often considered to be approximately 3/4 of an inch or about 1.9 centimeters (cm). In many systems, it formed a subdivision of larger units like the palm, span, or cubit. For example, it was common for:
- 4 digits = 1 palm
- 12 digits = 1 span (sometimes)
- 24 or 28 digits = 1 cubit (depending on the cubit definition)
The Link, specifically Gunter's Link (symbol li), is a unit of length historically used in surveying, particularly within the imperial and U.S. customary systems. It is defined as exactly 1/100th of a Gunter's chain.
One Gunter's link is equivalent to:
- 0.01 Gunter's chains
- 7.92 inches (in)
- 0.66 feet (ft) (exactly 2/3 of a foot)
- 0.22 yards (yd)
- 0.04 rods (also called poles or perches)
- 0.201168 meters (m) (exactly)
- 20.1168 centimeters (cm)
A Gunter's chain itself measures 66 feet, 22 yards, 4 rods, or 20.1168 meters.
Note: The Digit is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Link (Gunter's) belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Digit and Link (Gunter's)
The digit is one of the oldest known units of measurement, used by ancient civilizations including the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Greeks, Romans, and later across Europe. Its convenience stemmed from the ready availability of the human hand for estimation.
- Ancient Egypt: The digit (djeba) was a fundamental unit, with 28 digits forming the Royal Cubit.
- Ancient Rome: The Roman digit (digitus) was defined as 1/16 of a Roman foot, approximately 1.85 cm. Four digiti made a palmus (palm).
- Medieval England: The digit was often reckoned as 3/4 of an inch, derived from the barleycorn (3 barleycorns = 1 inch, 4 digits = 3 inches).
Due to its inherent variability and the rise of more standardized systems based on physical prototypes (like the yard or meter), the digit gradually fell out of practical use for trade and science, becoming largely obsolete by the early modern period.
The link, as part of Gunter's chain, was devised by the English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter around 1620. He introduced a measuring chain that was 66 feet long and divided into 100 links. This system was revolutionary for surveyors because its decimal nature (100 links per chain) simplified calculations, especially for area. Land area could be easily calculated in square chains and then converted to acres, as 10 square chains equal exactly 1 acre. Gunter's chain and its links became the standard tools for land surveying in England and later throughout the British Empire and the United States for centuries.
Common Uses for digits and links
Explore the typical applications for both Digit (imperial/US) and Link (Gunter's) (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for digits
The digit is now obsolete for practical measurement but is encountered in:
- Historical Texts: Found in ancient and medieval documents describing dimensions of objects, buildings, or anatomical measurements.
- Archaeology & Anthropology: Used when interpreting historical measurements or comparing ancient systems.
- Figurative Language: Occasionally used informally to mean a very small distance ("just a digit more").
- Understanding Historical Units: Key to understanding the structure of ancient measurement systems (e.g., relationship to palm, cubit).
Common Uses for links
The Gunter's link is now largely obsolete but was historically significant:
- Land Surveying: It was the fundamental unit for measuring property boundaries and land parcels in English-speaking countries for over 300 years.
- Cartography: Used in creating maps and plats based on surveys.
- Land Records: Measurements in links (and chains) frequently appear in older property deeds, historical surveys, and legal descriptions of land. Understanding the link is crucial for interpreting these documents.
- Agriculture: The system was tied to the definition of the acre, a common unit of land area.
Its use declined dramatically with the adoption of the metric system and the advent of more precise surveying technologies like steel tapes, theodolites, Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM), and GPS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Digit (digit)
How long is a digit?
There is no single, precise value for the digit because it was based on human anatomy and varied by system. Common historical approximations include:
- Approximately 0.75 inches (in)
- Approximately 1.85 to 1.9 centimeters (cm)
- Often defined as 1/4 of a palm or 1/16 of a foot within specific historical systems.
What is the relation between a digit and a palm?
In many historical systems (like the Roman and often the English), 4 digits were considered equal to 1 palm (the width of the hand across the base of the fingers).
What is the relation between a digit and a cubit?
The relationship varied. For example:
- The Egyptian Royal Cubit contained 28 digits.
- The common Greek and Roman cubits often contained 24 digits.
Is the digit an SI unit?
No, the digit is not an SI unit. It is an ancient, non-standardized, anthropomorphic unit. The corresponding SI unit for length is the meter (m).
Is the digit still used today?
No, the digit is not used for any standard or practical measurements today. Its use is confined to historical study, interpretation of old texts, and occasional figurative speech.
Where does the name 'digit' come from?
The name comes from the Latin word digitus, which means "finger" or "toe". This reflects the unit's origin based on the width of a human finger.
About Link (Gunter's) (li)
How long is a Gunter's Link?
One Gunter's Link is equal to:
- 7.92 inches
- 0.66 feet (2/3 ft)
- 0.201168 meters
- 20.1168 centimeters
How many links are in a Gunter's chain?
There are exactly 100 links in one Gunter's chain.
How long is a Gunter's Chain?
One Gunter's chain is equal to:
- 100 links
- 66 feet
- 22 yards
- 4 rods (or poles, perches)
- 1/10th of a furlong
- 1/80th of a statute mile
- 20.1168 meters
How does the link relate to the acre?
The link is directly related to the acre through the Gunter's chain. An acre is defined as 10 square chains. Since 1 chain = 100 links:
- 1 acre = 10 × (100 links)² = 10 × 10,000 square links = 100,000 square links. This decimal relationship greatly simplified area calculations for surveyors using the chain.
Is the link an SI unit?
No, the Gunter's link is not an SI unit. It is part of the traditional imperial and U.S. customary systems. The corresponding SI unit for length is the meter (m).
Is the Gunter's link still used today?
No, the Gunter's link is rarely used in modern surveying practice. Its primary relevance today is in historical contexts, particularly when interpreting old land deeds, surveys, and maps created using Gunter's system. Modern surveying relies on meters or feet, measured with advanced electronic equipment.
Why was it called a 'link'?
It was called a 'link' because Gunter's chain was literally constructed from 100 physical metal links connected by rings. Each link served as a unit of measurement.
Conversion Table: Digit to Link (Gunter's)
| Digit (digit) | Link (Gunter's) (li) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.095 |
| 5 | 0.474 |
| 10 | 0.947 |
| 25 | 2.367 |
| 50 | 4.735 |
| 100 | 9.47 |
| 500 | 47.349 |
| 1,000 | 94.697 |
All Length Conversions
Other Units from Length
- Meter (m)
- Kilometer (km)
- Hectometer (hm)
- Decimeter (dm)
- Centimeter (cm)
- Millimeter (mm)
- Inch (in)
- Foot (ft)
- Yard (yd)
- Mile (mi)
- Nautical Mile (NM)
- Micrometer (μm)
- Nanometer (nm)
- Light Year (ly)
- Astronomical Unit (AU)
- Parsec (pc)
- Angstrom (Å)
- Point (Typography) (pt)
- Mil/Thou (mil)
- Fathom (fath)
- Furlong (fur)
- Pace (pace)
- Span (span)
- Cable Length (cb)
- Ell (ell)
- Finger (finger)
- Roman Mile (m.p.)
- Stadion (stadion)
- Chi (Chinese) (chi)
- Shaku (Japanese) (shaku)
- Li (Chinese) (li)
- Toise (toise)
- Bolt (bolt)
- Rope (rope)
- Smoot (smoot)
- Sajene (sajene)
- Ken (ken)
- Wa (wa)
- Vara (vara)
- Aln (aln)
- Cubit (Royal/Egyptian) (cubit)
- Versta (versta)
- Arpent (arpent)
- Ri (Japanese) (ri)
- Klafter (klafter)
- Yojana (yojana)
- Skein (skein)