Why is a Nautical mile [6080 ft.] Longer then a Land Mile [5280 ft.]?

Answer 1

Because the standard is one minute of latitude, or approximately 6080.15 feet (changed in 1929 from the previous 6076 feet). It was formerly called an "admiralty mile." This makes sense at sea, where there are no mile markers, but you can measure latitude.The nautical mile was determined before the use of land mile measurement. Until 1954, a land mile was measured at 6080.20 feet.

Answer 2

A land mile originally represented 1000 double paces (mille = latin for one thousand). Since everyone's pace is different, the mile could represent a distance anywhere from 1200 to 2000 meters. Over the years, a standard international mile of 1609.344 meters gradually evolved.

A nautical mile represents one minute of latitude or about 1852 meters. Since this nautical measurement was very similar to 1,000 double paces on land, the term nautical mile evolved. A speed of one nautical mile per hour is called a knot.

Answer 3

you may think of that measuring distances on the sea could be the harder, on account which you could no longer walk on the exterior of the water and it would not carry nonetheless to be measured. yet in certainty, the nautical mile, ate 6080 ft, is the greater precise degree of the two, simply by fact it represents one minute of the earth's circumference. The statute mile, that we use to degree on land, is according to 1000 steps by skill of a Roman soldier. And that, of direction, relied on the dimensions of the soldier's foot. ultimately it replace into standardized at 5280 ft, yet there is not any logical clarification for that selection, as there is for the nautical mile. yet another of those goofy measurements replace into the backyard, which was once the area from the top of your nostril to the top of your outstretched hands. needless to say, whilst human beings went determining to purchase for fabric, they offered on the save the place the owner had the longest hands, and the owners regarded for clerks who had the shortest hands. It, too, replace into ultimately standardized at 36 inches, yet like the mile, there replace into no rational degree to be certain it.

Answer 4

blue julie as first in gets the nod.........a minute of latitude ( at the equator or any meridian) is 1/60th of a degree, and there's 360 degrees in a circle....so, get out your calculators, boys and girls and do the following:

24,909 ( circumference Earth in miles) / 360 = 69.20

69.20 / 60 =1.15

1.15 x 5280= 6088 feet ( a nautical mile)

a nautical mile is also a minute of latitude at the equator, hence the expression a mile a minute has nothing to do with 60MPH...

Answer 5

One minute of latitude; approximately 6076 feet - about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5280 feet.the basic unit of air navigation; abbreviated nm; one nautical mile is equal to 1.15 statute miles; each minute of latitude is 6076 feet apart which equals one nautical mile, therefore, each degree of latitude is 60 nm.

Answer 6

Listen to BlueJulie! She's right. All I can add is, just FYI, a "Land" mile is properly called a Statute mile.

Answer 7

Just blame it on the stupid English System. All the more reason to adopt the Metric System. By the way, do you know how many rods there are in a mile. I don't know and I don't care to know.

Answer 8

Deep Thought is right on.

Answer 9

Listen to BlueJulie.... I dont really have anything else to add