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{{for|the unit of ]|Ban (information)}} {{for|the unit of ]|Ban (information)}}

{{Unreferenced|auto=yes|date=December 2009}}
{{Hand_Measurements}} {{Hand_Measurements}}


{{Other uses|digit}}
A '''digit''' (] ''digitus'', "finger"), when used as a unit of length, is usually a sixteenth of a ] or 3/4" (] for the international ]). The width of an adult human male finger tip is indeed about 2 centimetres. In English this unit has mostly fallen out of use, as do others based on the human arm: ] (7/6 digit), ] (4 digits), ] (16/3 digits), ] (8 digits), ] (12 digits), ] (24 digits) and ] (60 digits).


The '''digit''' or '''finger''' is an obsolete non-] ] of ], originally based on the breadth of a ] finger. It was a fundamental unit of length in the ], ], ], ], and ] systems of measurement. In astronomy a digit is the one twelfth of the diameter of the sun or the moon.
It is in general equal to the foot-], although the term nail can also be used as 1/16 of yard and other units.

==History==
===Ancient Egypt===
] of ], showing digit, palm, hand and fist lengths]]
The digit, also called a finger or fingerbreadth, is an ] unit, originally based on the breadth of a human finger. It was the basic unit of subdivision of the ].<ref name=brit/>

On surviving ] ], the ] is divided into seven ] of four ] or ] each.<ref name=selin/> Five digits are equal to a hand, with thumb; and six to a closed fist.<ref name=clagett/> The royal cubit measured approximately 525&nbsp;mm,<ref name=lepsius/> so the length of the ancient Egyptian digit was about 19&nbsp;mm.
{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="1"| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; width: 75%; nowrap"
|+'''Ancient Egyptian units of length'''<ref name=clagett/>
!|Name!! |Egyptian name!!align="center"|Equivalent Egyptian values!! |Metric equivalent
|-
|Royal cubit || <small><hiero>M23-t:n-D42</hiero> </small> ''meh niswt'' || align="center" | 7 palms or 28 digits || align="right" | 525&nbsp;mm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
|-
|Fist || <!---<small><hiero>?</hiero> </small> '' ??? ''---> ||align="center" | 6 digits ||align="right" | 108&nbsp;mm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
|-
|Hand || <!---<small><hiero>?</hiero> </small> '' ??? ''---> ||align="center" | 5 digits ||align="right" | 94&nbsp;mm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
|-
|Palm || <small><hiero>D48</hiero> </small> ''shesep'' || align="center" | 4 digits||align="right" | 75&nbsp;mm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
|-
|Digit || <small><hiero> D50</hiero> </small> ''djeba'' || align="center" | 1/4 palm ||align="right" | 19&nbsp;mm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
|}




== British measurements ==

A '''digit''' (] ''digitus'', "finger"), when used as a unit of length, is usually a sixteenth of a ] or 3/4" (] for the international ]).{{cn}} The width of an adult human male finger tip is indeed about 2 centimetres. In English this unit has mostly fallen out of use, as do others based on the human arm: ] (7/6 digit), ] (4 digits), ] (16/3 digits), ] (8 digits), ] (12 digits), ] (24 digits) and ] (60 digits).

It is in general equal to the foot-], although the term nail can also be used as 1/16 of yard and other units.{{cn}}


==See also== ==See also==


* ] * ]

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=


<ref name=brit>{{cite book|last=Hosch|first=William L. (ed.)|title=The Britannica Guide to Numbers and Measurement|year=2010|publisher=Britannica Educational Publications|location=New York, NY|isbn=978-1615301089|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=cuN7rH6RzikC|edition=1st|page=203}}</ref>

<ref name=clagett>{{cite book|last=Clagett|first=Marshall|title=Ancient Egyptian Science, A Source Book. Volume 3: Ancient Egyptian Mathematics|year= 1999|publisher= American Philosophical Society|location= Philadelphia|isbn= 9780871692320|url= http://books.google.com/books?id=8c10QYoGa4UC}}</ref>

<ref name=lepsius>{{cite book|last=Lepsius|first=Richard|title=Die altaegyptische Elle und ihre Eintheilung|year=1865|publisher=Dümmler|location=Berlin|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PRQGAAAAQAAJ|language=German}}</ref>

<ref name=selin>{{cite book|last=Selin|first=Helaine (ed.)|title=Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine in non-Western Cultures|year=1997|publisher=Kluwer|location=Dordrecht|isbn=9780792340669|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=raKRY3KQspsC}}</ref>


}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Digit (Length)}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Digit (Length)}}

Revision as of 12:39, 26 August 2011

For the unit of information entropy, see Ban (information).

Template:Hand Measurements

For other uses, see digit.

The digit or finger is an obsolete non-SI unit of measurement of length, originally based on the breadth of a human finger. It was a fundamental unit of length in the Ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Hebrew, Ancient Greek, and Roman systems of measurement. In astronomy a digit is the one twelfth of the diameter of the sun or the moon.

History

Ancient Egypt

Detail of the cubit rod in the Museo Egizio of Turin, showing digit, palm, hand and fist lengths

The digit, also called a finger or fingerbreadth, is an anthropic unit, originally based on the breadth of a human finger. It was the basic unit of subdivision of the cubit.

On surviving Ancient Egyptian cubit-rods, the royal cubit is divided into seven palms of four digits or fingers each. Five digits are equal to a hand, with thumb; and six to a closed fist. The royal cubit measured approximately 525 mm, so the length of the ancient Egyptian digit was about 19 mm.

Ancient Egyptian units of length
Name Egyptian name Equivalent Egyptian values Metric equivalent
Royal cubit
M23t
n
D42
meh niswt
7 palms or 28 digits 525 mm     
Fist 6 digits 108 mm     
Hand 5 digits 94 mm     
Palm
D48
shesep
4 digits 75 mm     
Digit
D50
djeba
1/4 palm 19 mm     



British measurements

A digit (lat. digitus, "finger"), when used as a unit of length, is usually a sixteenth of a foot or 3/4" (1.905 cm for the international inch). The width of an adult human male finger tip is indeed about 2 centimetres. In English this unit has mostly fallen out of use, as do others based on the human arm: finger (7/6 digit), palm (4 digits), hand (16/3 digits), shaftment (8 digits), span (12 digits), cubit (24 digits) and ell (60 digits).

It is in general equal to the foot-nail, although the term nail can also be used as 1/16 of yard and other units.

See also

References

  1. Hosch, William L. (ed.) (2010). The Britannica Guide to Numbers and Measurement (1st ed.). New York, NY: Britannica Educational Publications. p. 203. ISBN 978-1615301089. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  2. Selin, Helaine (ed.) (1997). Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine in non-Western Cultures. Dordrecht: Kluwer. ISBN 9780792340669. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ Clagett, Marshall (1999). Ancient Egyptian Science, A Source Book. Volume 3: Ancient Egyptian Mathematics. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society. ISBN 9780871692320.
  4. Lepsius, Richard (1865). Die altaegyptische Elle und ihre Eintheilung (in German). Berlin: Dümmler.


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