What is the equivalent length of one rod, perch or pole in feet?

A rod, perch, or pole is defined as being equal to 16.5 feet. This unit of measurement is historically significant in land surveying and agriculture, as it has been used for various applications, including measuring distances for plots of land. Understanding this unit is essential for land surveyors since it frequently appears in older surveys and legal documents related to property boundaries.

The choice of 16.5 feet is based on the conversion that one rod equals 5.5 yards, and since one yard equals 3 feet, this calculation results in 5.5 yards × 3 feet/yard = 16.5 feet. This knowledge is vital for surveyors to accurately interpret measurements and effectively determine areas, especially when converting between different systems of measurement.