Metric and US Measurement System Tutorial

Length

The US measurement system for length is comprised of 4 standard units of measurement.
These units are the inch, foot, yard and mile.

The inch unit (inches plural) is internationally recognized by its abbreviation or symbol "in."
However, the inch may also be denoted by a double prime symbol ( ″ ) or a double quotation mark ( " )
1 inch may appear as 1 in, 1″ or 1"
The inch is 1/12th of a foot and is 1/36th of a yard in length.
Internationally the inch is 0.0254 m, 25.4 mm or 2.54 cm.
In typography 1 inch equals 72 pt. or points.

The foot unit (feet plural) is internationally recognized by its abbreviation or symbol "ft."
However, the foot may also be denoted by a prime symbol ( ′ ) or an apostrophe ( ' )
1 foot may appear as 1 ft, 1′ or 1'
The foot is comprised of 12 inches and is 1/3rd of a yard in length.
Internationally the foot is 0.3048 m, 304.8 mm or 30.48 cm.

The yard unit (yards plural and abbreviated "yd") is comprised of 36 inches, or is exactly 3 feet in length.
Internationally the yard is equal to 0.9144 m, 914.4 mm or 91.44 cm.

The mile unit (miles plural and is currently abbreviated "mi") is comprised of 5,280 feet, or 1,760 yards in length.
The mile that is comprised of 5,280 feet is often recognized and denoted as a Statute Mile or a Land Mile.
This is to help distinguish it from the Nautical Mile (6,076.1 ft or 1,852 m.)
Internationally the mile is equal to 1,609.344 m or 1.609344 km.

Here's a Height/Length Cheat Sheet to make things easier.

1/16 in = 0.0015875 m, 1.5875 mm or 0.15875 cm.
1/8 or 2/16 in = 0.003175 m, 3.175 mm or 0.3175 cm.
3/16 in = 0.0047625 m, 4.7625 mm or 0.47625 cm.
1/4 or 2/8 or 4/16 in = 0.00635 m, 6.35 mm or 0.635 cm.
5/16 in = 0.0079375 m, 7.9375 mm or 0.79375 cm.
1/3 in = 0.008382 m, 8.382 mm or 0.8382 cm.
3/8 or 6/16 in = 0.009525 m, 9.525 mm or 0.9525 cm.
7/16 in = 0.0111125 m, 11.1125 mm or 1.11125 cm.
2/4 or 4/8 or 8/16 in = 0.0127 m, 12.7 mm or 1.27 cm.
9/16 in = 0.0142875 m, 14.2875 mm or 1.42875 cm.
5/8 or 10/16 in = 0.015875 m, 15.875 mm or 1.5875 cm.
2/3 in = 0.016764 m, 16.764 mm or 1.6764 cm.
11/16 in = 0.0174625 m, 17.4625 mm or 1.74625 cm.
3/4 or 6/8 in or 12/16 = 0.01905 m, 19.05 mm or 1.905 cm.</i>
13/16 in = 0.0206375 m, 20.6375 mm or 2.06375 cm.
7/8 or 14/16 in = 0.022225 m, 22.225 mm or 2.2225 cm.
15/16 in = 0.0238125 m, 23.8125 mm or 2.38125 cm.
1 in = 72 pt. 0.0254 m, 25.40 mm or 2.54 cm.
2 in = 0.0508 m, 50.80 mm or 5.08 cm.
3 in = 0.0762 m, 76.20 mm or 7.62 cm.
4 in = 0.1016 m, 101.60 mm or 10.16 cm.
5 in = 0.1270 m, 127.00 mm or 12.70 cm.
6 in = 0.1524 m, 152.40 mm or 15.24 cm.
7 in = 0.1778 m, 177.80 mm or 17.78 cm.
8 in = 0.2032 m, 203.20 mm or 20.32 cm.
9 in = 0.2286 m, 228.60 mm or 22.86 cm.
10 in = 0.2540 m, 254.00 mm or 25.40 cm.
11 in = 0.2794 m, 279.40 mm or 27.94 cm.
12 in or 1 ft. and 0 in (1'0") = 0.3048 m, 304.80 mm or 30.48 cm.
13 in or 1 ft. and 1 in (1'1") = 0.3348 m, 330.20 mm or 33.02 cm.
14 in or 1 ft. and 2 in (1'2") = 0.3556 m, 355.60 mm or 35.56 cm.
15 in or 1 ft. and 3 in (1'3") = 0.3810 m, 381.00 mm or 38.10 cm.
16 in or 1 ft. and 4 in (1'4") = 0.4064 m, 406.40 mm or 40.64 cm.
17 in or 1 ft. and 5 in (1'5") = 0.4318 m, 431.80 mm or 43.18 cm.
18 in or 1 ft. and 6 in (1'6") = 0.4572 457.20 mm or 45.72 cm.
19 in or 1 ft. and 7 in (1'7") = 0.4826 482.60 mm or 48.26 cm.
20 in or 1 ft. and 8 in (1'8") = 0.5080 508.00 mm or 50.80 cm.
21 in or 1 ft. and 9 in (1'9") = 0.5334 533.40 mm or 53.34 cm.
22 in or 1 ft. and 10 in (1'10") = 0.5588 558.80 mm or 55.88 cm.
23 in or 1 ft. and 11 in (1'11") = 0.5842 584.20 mm or 58.42 cm.
24 in or 2 ft. and 0 in (2'0") = 0.6046 m, 609.60 mm or 60.96 cm.
25 in or 2 ft. and 1 in (2'1") = 0.6350 m, 635.00 mm or 63.50 cm.
26 in or 2 ft. and 2 in (2'2") = 0.6604 m, 660.40 mm or 66.04 cm.
27 in or 2 ft. and 3 in (2'3") = 0.6858 m, 685.80 mm or 68.58 cm.
28 in or 2 ft. and 4 in (2'4") = 0.7112 m, 711.20 mm or 71.12 cm.
29 in or 2 ft. and 5 in (2'5") = 0.7366 m, 736.60 mm or 73.66 cm.
30 in or 2 ft. and 6 in (2'6") = 0.7620 m, 762.00 mm or 76.20 cm.
31 in or 2 ft. and 7 in (2'7") = 0.7874 m, 787.40 mm or 78.74 cm.
32 in or 2 ft. and 8 in (2'8") = 0.8128 m, 812.80 mm or 81.28 cm.
33 in or 2 ft. and 9 in (2'9") = 0.8382 m, 838.20 mm or 83.82 cm.
34 in or 2 ft. and 10 in (2'10") = 0.8636 m, 863.60 mm or 86.36 cm.
35 in or 2 ft. and 11 in (2'11") = 0.8890 m, 889.00 mm or 88.90 cm.
36 in or 3 ft. and 0 in (3'0") = 1 yd, 0.9144 m, 914.40 mm or 91.44 cm.
37 in or 3 ft. and 1 in (3'1") = 0.9398 m, 939.80 mm or 93.98 cm.
38 in or 3 ft. and 2 in (3'2") = 0.9652 m, 965.20 mm or 96.52 cm.
39 in or 3 ft. and 3 in (3'3") = 0.9906 m, 990.60 mm or 99.06 cm.
40 in or 3 ft. and 4 in (3'4") = 1.0160 m, 1016.00 mm or 101.60 cm.
41 in or 3 ft. and 5 in (3'5") = 1.0414 m, 1041.40 mm or 104.14 cm.
42 in or 3 ft. and 6 in (3'6") = 1.0688 m, 1068.80 mm or 106.88  cm.
43 in or 3 ft. and 7 in (3'7") = 1.0922 m, 1092.20 mm or 109.22 cm.
44 in or 3 ft. and 8 in (3'8") = 1.1176 m, 1117.60 mm or 111.76 cm.
45 in or 3 ft. and 9 in (3'9") = 1.1430 m, 1143.00 mm or 114.30 cm.
46 in or 3 ft. and 10 in (3'10") = 1.1684 m, 1168.40 mm or 116.84 cm.
47 in or 3 ft. and 11 in (3'11") = 1.1938 m, 1193.80 mm or 119.38 cm.
48 in or 4 ft. and 0 in (4'0") = 1.2192 m, 1219.20 mm or 121.92 cm.
49 in or 4 ft. and 1 in (4'1") = 1.2446 m, 1244.60 mm or 124.46 cm.
50 in or 4 ft. and 2 in (4'2") = 1.2700 m, 1270.00 mm or 127.00 cm.
51 in or 4 ft. and 3 in (4'3") = 1.2954 m, 1295.40 mm or 129.54 cm.
52 in or 4 ft. and 4 in (4'4") = 1.3208 m, 1320.80 mm or 132.08 cm.
53 in or 4 ft. and 5 in (4'5") = 1.3462 m, 1346.20 mm or 134.62 cm.
54 in or 4 ft. and 6 in (4'6") = 1.3716 m, 1371.60 mm or 137.16 cm.
55 in or 4 ft. and 7 in (4'7") = 1.3970 m, 1397.00 mm or 139.70 cm.
56 in or 4 ft. and 8 in (4'8") = 1.4224 m, 1422.40 mm or 142.24 cm.
57 in or 4 ft. and 9 in (4'9") = 1.4478 m, 1447.80 mm or 144.78 cm.
58 in or 4 ft. and 10 in (4'10") = 1.4732 m, 1473.20 mm or 147.32 cm.
59 in or 4 ft. and 11 in (4'11") = 1.4986 m, 1498.60 mm or 149.86 cm.
60 in or 5 ft. and 0 in (5'0") = 1.5240 m, 1524.00 mm or 152.40 cm.
61 in or 5 ft. and 1 in (5'1") = 1.5494 m, 1549.40 mm or 154.94 cm.
62 in or 5 ft. and 2 in (5'2") = 1.5748 m, 1574.80 mm or 157.48 cm.
63 in or 5 ft. and 3 in (5'3") = 1.6002 m, 1600.20 mm or 160.02 cm.
64 in or 5 ft. and 4 in (5'4") = 1.6256 m, 1625.60 mm or 162.56 cm.
65 in or 5 ft. and 5 in (5'5") = 1.6510 m, 1651.00 mm or 165.10 cm.
66 in or 5 ft. and 6 in (5'6") = 1.6764 m, 1676.40 mm or 167.64 cm.
67 in or 5 ft. and 7 in (5'7") = 1.7018 m, 1701.80 mm or 170.18 cm.
68 in or 5 ft. and 8 in (5'8") = 1.7272 m, 1727.20 mm or 172.72 cm.
69 in or 5 ft. and 9 in (5'9") = 1.7526 m, 1752.60 mm or 175.26 cm.
70 in or 5 ft. and 10 in (5'10") = 1.7780 m, 1778.00 mm or 177.80 cm.
71 in or 5 ft. and 11 in (5'11") = 1.8034 m, 1803.40 mm or 180.34 cm.
72 in or 6 ft. and 0 in (6'0") = 1.8288 m, 1828.80 mm or 182.88 cm.
73 in or 6 ft. and 1 in (6'1") = 1.8542 m, 1854.20 mm or 185.42 cm.
74 in or 6 ft. and 2 in (6'2") = 1.8796 m, 1879.60 mm or 187.96 cm.
75 in or 6 ft. and 3 in (6'3") = 1.9050 m, 1905.00 mm or 190.5 cm.
76 in or 6 ft. and 4 in (6'4") = 1.9304 m, 1930.40 mm or 193.04 cm.
77 in or 6 ft. and 5 in (6'5") = 1.9558 m, 1955.80 mm or 195.58 cm.
78 in or 6 ft. and 6 in (6'6") = 1.9812 m, 1981.20 mm or 198.12 cm.
79 in or 6 ft. and 7 in (6'7") = 2.0066 m, 2006.60 mm or 200.66 cm.
80 in or 6 ft. and 8 in (6'8") = 2.0320 m, 2032.00 mm or 203.20 cm.
81 in or 6 ft. and 9 in (6'9") = 2.0574 m, 2057.40 mm or 205.74 cm.
82 in or 6 ft. and 10 in (6'10") = 2.0828 m, 2082.80 mm or 208.28 cm.
83 in or 6 ft. and 11 in (6'11") = 2.1082 m, 2108.20 mm or 210.82 cm.
84 in or 7 ft. and 0 in (7'0") = 2.1336 m, 2133.60 mm or 213.36 cm.

Weight and Mass

The US measurement system for weight and mass derives from the Avoirdupois System, which in modern times is comprised of 7 standard (dry) units of measurement.
These units are the grain, dram, ounce, pound, quarter, hundredweight and the short ton.

Of these units, the US uses 3 on a daily basis. These units are the ounce, the pound and the short ton.

Despite having adopted the metric system, the Avoirdupois System can still be found in use at varying degrees within the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia as well as many former British colonies. However, please note that some definitions of certain units vary between countries. This tutorial only covers the US equivalent of units used to measure weight and mass.

The ounce unit (ounces plural) is internationally recognized by its abbreviation or symbol "oz."
The ounce is equal to 28.3495 grams (rounded up to 28.35 g) and is 1/16th of a pound.
Internationally and by definition, the ounce is exactly 28.349523125 g, 28349.523125 mg or 0.028349523125 kg.

The pound unit (pounds plural) is internationally recognized by its abbreviation or symbol "lb."
The pound is comprised of 16 ounces and is 1/2000th of a short ton in weight.
Internationally and the pound is 453.59237 g, 453592.37 mg or 0.45359237 kg.

The short ton unit (tons plural) is comprised of 2000 pounds and is often simply called ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton (tonne) (2,204.62262 lb or 1000 kg. ) or the long ton (2,240 lb 1,016.0469088 kg.)
Internationally the "ton" is 907184.74 g, 907184740 mg or 907.18474 kg.

Here's a Weight/Mass Cheat Sheet to make things easier.

1 oz = 28.349523125 g, 28349.523125 mg or 0.028349523125 kg.
2 oz = 56.69904625 g, 56699.04625 mg or 0.05669904625 kg.
3 oz = 85.048569375 g, 85048.569375 mg or 0.085048569375 kg.
4 oz = 113.3980925 g, 113398.0925 mg or 0.1133980925 kg.
5 oz = 141.747615625 g, 141747.615625 mg or 0.141747615625 kg.
6 oz = 170.09713875 g, 170097.13875 mg or 0.17009713875 kg.
7 oz = 198.446661875 g, 198446.661875 mg or 0.198446661875 kg.
8 oz = 226.796185 g, 226796.185 mg or 0.226796185 kg.
9 oz = 255.145708125 g, 255145.708125 mg or 0.255145708125 kg.
10 oz = 283.49523125 g, 28349523125 mg or 0.28349523125 kg.
11 oz = 311.844754375 g, 311844.754375 mg or 0.311844754375 kg.
12 oz = 340.1942775 g, 340194.2775 mg or 0.3401942775 kg.
13 oz = 368.543800625 g, 368543.800625 mg or 0.368543800625 kg.
14 oz = 396.89332375 g, 396893.32375 mg or 0.39689332375 kg.
15 oz = 425.242846875 g, 425242.846875 mg or 0.425242846875 kg.
16 oz or 1 lb = 453.59237 g, 453592.37 mg or 0.45359237 kg.
48 oz or 3 lb = 1360.77711 g, 1360777.11 mg or 1.36077711 kg.
80 oz or 5 lb = 2267.96185 g, 2267961.85 mg or 2.26796185 kg.
112 oz or 7 lb = 3175.14659 g, 3175146.59 mg or 3.17514659 kg.
160 oz or 10 lb = 4535.9237 g, 4535923.7 mg or 4.5359237 kg.
176 oz or 11 lb = 4989.51607 g, 4989516.07 mg or 4.98951607 kg.
208 oz or 13 lb = 5896.70081 g, 5896700.81 mg or 5.89670081 kg.
240 oz or 15 lb = 6803.88555 g, 6803885.55 mg or 6.80388555 kg.
272 oz or 17 lb = 7711.07029 g, 7711070.29 mg or 7.71107029 kg.
320 oz or 20 lb = 9071.8474 g, 9071847.4 mg or 9.0718474 kg.
336 oz or 21 lb = 9525.43977 g, 9525439.77 mg or 9.52543977 kg.
368 oz or 23 lb = 10432.62451 g, 10432624.51 mg or 10.43262451 kg.
400 oz or 25 lb = 11339.80925 g, 11339809.25 mg or 11.33980925 kg.
432 oz or 27 lb = 12246.99399 g, 12246993.99 mg or 12.24699399 kg.
480 oz or 30 lb = 13607.7711 g, 13607771.1 mg or 13.6077711 kg.
496 oz or 31 lb = 14061.36347 g, 14061363.47 mg or 14.06136347 kg.
528 oz or 33 lb = 14968.54821 g, 14968548.21 mg or 14.96854821 kg.
560 oz or 35 lb = 15875.73295 g, 15875732.95 mg or 15.87573295 kg.
592 oz or 37 lb = 16782.91769 g, 16782917.69 mg or 16.78291769 kg.
640 oz or 40 lb = 18143.6948 g, 18143694.8 mg or 18.1436948 kg.
656 oz or 41 lb = 18597.28717 g, 18597287.17 mg or 18.59728717kg.
688 oz or 43 lb = 19504.47191 g, 19504471.91 mg or 19.50447191 kg.
720 oz or 45 lb = 20411.65665 g, 20411656.65 mg or 20.41165665 kg.
752 oz or 47 lb = 21318.84139 g, 21318841.39 mg or 21.31884139 kg.
800 oz or 50 lb = 22679.6185 g, 22679618.5 mg or 22.6796185 kg.
816 oz or 51 lb = 23133.21087 g, 23133210.87 mg or 23.13321087 kg.
848 oz or 53 lb = 24040.39561 g, 24040395.61 mg or 24.04039561 kg.
880 oz or 55 lb = 24947.58035 g, 24947580.35 mg or 24.94758035 kg.
912 oz or 57 lb = 25854.76509 g, 25854765.09 mg or 25.85476509kg.
960 oz or 60 lb = 27215.5422 g, 27215542.2 mg or 27.2155422 kg.
976 oz or 61 lb = 27669.13457 g, 27669134.57 mg or 27.66913457 kg.
1008 oz or 63 lb = 28576.31931 g, 28576319.31 mg or 28.57631931 kg.
1040 oz or 65 lb = 29483.50405 g, 29483504.05 mg or 29.48350405 kg.
1072 oz or 67 lb = 30390.68879 g, 30390688.79 mg or 30.39068879 kg.
1120 oz or 70 lb = 31751.4659 g, 31751465.9 mg or 31.7514659 kg.
1136 oz or 71 lb = 32205.05827 g, 32205058.27 mg or 32.20505827 kg.
1168 oz or 73 lb = 33112.24301 g, 33112243.01 mg or 33.11224301 kg.
1200 oz or 75 lb = 34019.42775 g, 34019427.75 mg or 34.01942775 kg.
1232 oz or 77 lb = 34926.61249 g, 34926612.49 mg or 34.92661249 kg.
1280 oz or 80 lb = 36287.3896 g, 36287389.6 mg or 36.2873896 kg.
1296 oz or 81 lb = 36740.98197 g, 36740981.97 mg or 36.74098197 kg.
1328 oz or 83 lb = 37648.16671 g, 37648166.71 mg or 37.64816671 kg.
1360 oz or 88 lb = 38555.35145 g, 38555351.45 mg or 38.55535145 kg.
1392 oz or 87 lb = 39462.53619 g, 39462536.19 mg or 39.46253619 kg.
1440 oz or 90 lb = 40823.3133 g, 40823313.3 mg or 40.8233133 kg.
1456 oz or 91 lb = 41276.90567 g, 41276905.67 mg or 41.27690567 kg.
1488 oz or 93 lb = 42184.09041 g, 42184090.41 mg or 42.18409041 kg.
1520 oz or 95 lb = 43091.27515 g, 43091275.15 mg or 43.09127515 kg.
1552 oz or 97 lb = 43998.45989 g, 43998459.89 mg or 43.99845989 kg.
1600 oz or 100 lb = 45359.237 g, 45359237 mg or 45.359237 kg.
3200 oz or 200 lb = 90718.474 g, 90718474 mg or 90.718474 kg.
4800 oz or 300 lb = 136077.711 g, 136077711 mg or 136.077711 kg.
6400 oz or 400 lb = 181436.948 g, 181436948 mg or 181.436948 kg.
8000 oz or 500 lb = 226796.185 g, 226796185 mg or 226.796185 kg.
9600 oz or 600 lb = 272155.422 g, 272155422 mg or 272.155422 kg.
11200 oz or 700 lb = 317514.659 g, 317514659 mg or 317.514659 kg.
12800 oz or 800 lb = 362873.896 g, 362873896 mg or 362.873896 kg.
14400 oz or 900 lb = 408233.133 g, 408233133 mg or 408.233133 kg.
16000 oz or 1000 lb = 453592.37 g, 453592370 mg or 453.59237 kg.
17600 oz or 1100 lb = 498951.607 g, 498951607mg or 498.951607 kg.
19200 oz or 1200 lb = 544310.844 g, 544310844 mg or 544.310844 kg.
20800 oz or 1300 lb = 589670.081 g, 589670081 mg or 589.670081 kg.
22400 oz or 1400 lb = 635029.318 g, 635029318 mg or 635.029318 kg.
24000 oz or 1500 lb = 680388.555 g, 680388555 mg or 680.388555 kg.
25600 oz or 1600 lb = 725747.792 g, 725747792 mg or 725.747792 kg.
27200 oz or 1700 lb = 771107.029 g, 771107029 mg or 771.107029 kg.
28800 oz or 1800 lb = 816466.266 g, 816466266 mg or 816.466266 kg.
30400 oz or 1900 lb = 861825.503 g, 861825503 mg or 861.825503 kg.
32000 oz, 2000 lb, 1 Ton or 1 short ton= 907184.74 g, 907184740 mg or 907.18474 kg.
33600 oz or 2100 lb = 952543.977 g, 952543977mg or 952.543977 kg.
35200 oz or 2200 lb = 997903.214 g, 997903214 mg or 997.903214 kg.
35273.96194958041 oz, 2,204.62262 lb or 1 Tonne = 1000000 g, 1000000000 mg or 1000 kg
35840 oz, 2,240 lb or 1 Long ton = 1016046.9088 g, 1016046908.8 mg or 1,016.0469088 kg