Unit conversion
Speed Converter
Converts speed, where the unit pair combines a length and a time factor.
Result
Conversions use exact internationally defined factors where one exists, so results are precise to the digits shown.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
A speed conversion applies the length factor and divides by the time factor, which is why miles per hour to metres per second is not a single memorable number. The knot is the one that does not derive from a familiar pair, being one nautical mile per hour where the nautical mile has its own definition.
What moves the number
- The length and time factors combined.
- Whether knots or nautical miles are involved.
- Precision required.
- Whether the figure is average or instantaneous.
Where this one goes wrong
Knots are nautical miles per hour and a nautical mile is longer than a statute mile, which means a speed in knots is faster than the same number in miles per hour and confusing them understates speed by a meaningful margin in marine and aviation contexts. Check which is meant. The nautical mile derives from the Earth's geometry rather than from any land measure, which is why it does not convert to a round number.
Before you quote
- Check whether a figure is in knots or statute miles per hour.
- Combine the length and time factors correctly.
- Note whether the speed is an average or an instantaneous reading.
Questions
About this calculator
Is a knot the same as a mile per hour?
No, a knot is one nautical mile per hour and a nautical mile is longer than a statute mile, so a speed in knots is faster than the same number in miles per hour. Confusing them understates speed meaningfully.
Why is a nautical mile not a round number?
Because it derives from the Earth's geometry, originally one minute of latitude, rather than from any land measure. That makes it convenient for navigation and inconvenient for conversion to familiar units.
How does a speed conversion work?
By applying the length factor and dividing by the time factor, which is why miles per hour to metres per second is not a memorable single number. Both parts of the unit have to be converted, not just the distance.
Common speed conversions
| From | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 Miles per hour | 1.609344 Kilometres per hour |
| 1 Miles per hour | 1 Miles per hour |
| 1 Miles per hour | 0.44704 Metres per second |
| 1 Miles per hour | 1.466667 Feet per second |
| 1 Miles per hour | 0.868976 Knots |
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How to use this calculator
- Value. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 60.
- From. Enter your own figure; the page starts at Miles per hour.
- To. Enter your own figure; the page starts at Kilometres per hour.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to converted value, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Value | 60 |
| From | Miles per hour |
| To | Kilometres per hour |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Converted value main result | 96.5606 |
| Conversion factor | 1.6093 |
60 Miles per hour equals 96.5606 Kilometres per hour.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only value, this is what happens to converted value. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Value | Converted value |
|---|---|
| 30 | 48.2803 |
| 45 | 72.4205 |
| 60 example above | 96.5606 |
| 90 | 144.841 |
| 120 | 193.1213 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Value
- A number, starting at 60.
- From
- Choose from Kilometres per hour, Miles per hour, Metres per second, Feet per second, Knots.
- To
- Choose from Kilometres per hour, Miles per hour, Metres per second, Feet per second, Knots.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Converted value | The headline result. A number. |
| Conversion factor | A number. |
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