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Link (Gunter's) (li) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:li
Plural:links
Category:Length

What is a Link (Gunter's)?

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.

History

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

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.

Unit FAQs

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.

Link (Gunter's) Conversion Formulas

To Meter:

1 li = 0.201168 m
Example: 5 links = 1.00584 meters

To Kilometer:

1 li = 0.000201 km
Example: 5 links = 0.001006 kilometers

To Hectometer:

1 li = 0.002012 hm
Example: 5 links = 0.010058 hectometers

To Decimeter:

1 li = 2.01168 dm
Example: 5 links = 10.0584 decimeters

To Centimeter:

1 li = 20.1168 cm
Example: 5 links = 100.584 centimeters

To Millimeter:

1 li = 201.168 mm
Example: 5 links = 1005.84 millimeters

To Inch:

1 li = 7.92 in
Example: 5 links = 39.6 inches

To Foot:

1 li = 0.66 ft
Example: 5 links = 3.3 feet

To Yard:

1 li = 0.22 yd
Example: 5 links = 1.1 yards

To Mile:

1 li = 0.000125 mi
Example: 5 links = 0.000625 miles

To Nautical Mile:

1 li = 0.000109 NM
Example: 5 links = 0.000543 nautical miles

To Micrometer:

1 li = 201168 μm
Example: 5 links = 1005840 micrometers

To Nanometer:

1 li = 201168000 nm
Example: 5 links = 1005840000 nanometers

To Light Year:

1 li = 2.1263e-17 ly
Example: 5 links = 1.0631e-16 light years

To Astronomical Unit:

1 li = 1.3447e-12 AU
Example: 5 links = 6.7235e-12 astronomical units

To Parsec:

1 li = 6.5194e-18 pc
Example: 5 links = 3.2597e-17 parsecs

To Angstrom:

1 li = 2011680000 Å
Example: 5 links = 10058400000 angstroms

To Point (Typography):

1 li = 570.239641 pt
Example: 5 links = 2851.198204 points

To Mil/Thou:

1 li = 7920 mil
Example: 5 links = 39600 mils

To Fathom:

1 li = 0.11 fath
Example: 5 links = 0.55 fathoms

To Furlong:

1 li = 0.001 fur
Example: 5 links = 0.005 furlongs

To Pace:

1 li = 0.264 pace
Example: 5 links = 1.32 paces

To Span:

1 li = 0.88 span
Example: 5 links = 4.4 spans

To Digit:

1 li = 10.56 digit
Example: 5 links = 52.8 digits

To Cable Length:

1 li = 0.001086 cb
Example: 5 links = 0.005431 cable lengths

To Ell:

1 li = 0.176 ell
Example: 5 links = 0.88 ells

To Finger:

1 li = 1.76 finger
Example: 5 links = 8.8 fingers

To Roman Mile:

1 li = 0.000136 m.p.
Example: 5 links = 0.00068 Roman miles

To Stadion:

1 li = 0.001087 stadion
Example: 5 links = 0.005437 stadia

To Chi (Chinese):

1 li = 0.603564 chi
Example: 5 links = 3.017822 chi

To Shaku (Japanese):

1 li = 0.663921 shaku
Example: 5 links = 3.319604 shaku

To Li (Chinese):

1 li = 0.000402 li
Example: 5 links = 0.002012 li

To Toise:

1 li = 0.103216 toise
Example: 5 links = 0.51608 toise

To Bolt:

1 li = 0.0066 bolt
Example: 5 links = 0.033 bolts

To Rope:

1 li = 0.033 rope
Example: 5 links = 0.165 ropes

To Smoot:

1 li = 0.118209 smoot
Example: 5 links = 0.591045 smoots

To Sajene:

1 li = 0.094286 sajene
Example: 5 links = 0.471429 sajenes

To Ken:

1 li = 0.110653 ken
Example: 5 links = 0.553267 ken

To Wa:

1 li = 0.100584 wa
Example: 5 links = 0.50292 wa

To Vara:

1 li = 0.24 vara
Example: 5 links = 1.2 varas

To Aln:

1 li = 0.338667 aln
Example: 5 links = 1.693333 alnar

To Cubit (Royal/Egyptian):

1 li = 0.384642 cubit
Example: 5 links = 1.923212 cubits

To Versta:

1 li = 0.000189 versta
Example: 5 links = 0.000943 versts

To Arpent:

1 li = 0.00344 arpent
Example: 5 links = 0.017202 arpents

To Ri (Japanese):

1 li = 0.000051 ri
Example: 5 links = 0.000256 ri

To Klafter:

1 li = 0.106073 klafter
Example: 5 links = 0.530366 klafter

To Yojana:

1 li = 0.000015 yojana
Example: 5 links = 0.000075 yojanas

To Skein:

1 li = 0.001833 skein
Example: 5 links = 0.009167 skeins

Convert Link (Gunter's)

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Link (Gunter's) Quick Info

li
Symbol:li
Category:Length
System:Various
Convert Link (Gunter's)

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