Mexican units of measurement

A number of units of measurement were used in Mexico to measure length, mass, area, capacity, etc. The Metric system was optional from 1857, and has been compulsory since 1896.{{Cite book|title = International Critical Tables of Numerical Data, Physics, Chemistry and Technology|last = Washburn|first = E.W.|publisher = McGraw-Hil Book Company, Inc|year = 1926|location = New York|volume = 1|pages = 9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zkErAAAAYAAJ&q=international+critical+tables+1926&pg=PA9 | access-date=8 February 2015}}{{Cite book|title = Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures. Their SI Equivalences and Origins.|url = https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediasci00card_043|url-access = limited|last = Cardarelli |first = F.|publisher = Springer|year = 2003|isbn = 978-1-4471-1122-1|location = London|pages = [https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediasci00card_043/page/n153 7]}}

System before metric system

The Units of the system (from Spanish, Castillian) were legally defined during the transition period of the metric system.

Length

A number of units were used. One vara (lit. "pole", "yard") was equal to 0.838 m (32.99 inches) as it was legally defined also use inches and feet. Some other units and legal equivalents are given below:

1 linea (lit. "line") = {{frac|1|432}} vara

1 pulgada (lit. "thumbful", "inch") = {{frac|1|36}} vara

1 pie (lit. "foot") = {{frac|1|3}} vara

1 milla (lit. "mile") = 5000 pies{{Cite book|title = Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures. Their SI Equivalences and Origins.|url = https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediasci00card_043|url-access = limited|last = Cardarelli |first = F.|publisher = Springer|year = 2003|isbn = 978-1-4471-1122-1|location = London|pages = [https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediasci00card_043/page/n860 164]–165}}

1 legua (lit. "league") = 5000 varas.

Mass

A number of units were used. One libra (lit. "pound") was equal to {{val|0.46024634}} kg as it was legally defined. Some other units and legal equivalents are given below:

1 tomin = {{frac|1|768}} libra

1 adarme = {{frac|1|256}} libra

1 ochava ("eighth") = {{frac|1|128}} libra

1 onza ("ounce") = {{frac|1|16}} libra

1 arroba = 25 libras

1 quintal ("hundredweight") = 100 libras

1 terco = 160 libras

Area

A number of units were used. One fanega was equal to {{val|35662.8}} m² as it was legally defined. Some other units and legal equivalents are given below:

1 caballeria = 12 fanegas

1 labor = 18 fanegas

1 sitio = 492.28 fanegas.

Capacity

Two systems, dry and liquid, were used.

=Dry=

Several units were used. One cuartillo (lit. "quart") was equal to 1.8918 L as it was legally defined. Some other units and legal equivalents are given below:

1 almud ("gallon") = 4 cuartillos

1 fanega = 48 cuartillos

1 carga = 96 cuartillos.

=Liquid=

Several units were used. Some units and legal equivalents are given below:

1 cuartillo (for wine) = {{val|0.456264}} L

1 cuartillo (for oil) = {{val|0.506162}} L

1 jarra = 18 cuartillos.

One frasco was equal to {{frac|2|1|2}} quarts, and one baril was equal to 20 gallons, with local variations.{{Cite book|title = Weights Measures and Money of All Nations|url = https://archive.org/details/weightsmeasuresm00clarrich|last = Clarke|first = F.W.|publisher = D. Appleton & Company |year = 1891|location = New York|pages = [https://archive.org/details/weightsmeasuresm00clarrich/page/n54 51]}}

References

Category:Culture of Mexico

Mexico