This page converts fathoms into points using the factor 5184, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure length, which is why one number does the whole job.
Six feet, the traditional depth unit on marine charts. The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in.
The mil and the millimetre are not the same thing and are out by a factor of about forty. A mil is one thousandth of an inch — 0.0254 mm — and a spec sheet that quotes film thickness in mils means the small unit. British drawings write the same size as "thou". Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real length figures into points so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
fathoms- The amount you are converting, in fathoms
5184- The exact number of points in one fathom
points- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in fathoms.
- It is multiplied by 5184, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in points, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
A marathon: 2.31e+04 ftm in points
A marathon comes to about 2.31e+04 ftm. Multiplying by the factor: 2.31e+04 × 5184 = 1.1975e+08 pt. Dividing the answer back by 5184 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
A door height: 1.11 ftm in points
At 1.11 ftm (a door height), the same quantity in points is 1.11 × 5184 = 5754.24 pt. One fathom is 5184 points, so the numbers grow as expected.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many points are in one fathom?
Exactly 5184. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert fathoms to points?
points = fathoms × 5184. Reversed, fathoms = points ÷ 5184, which is the same as multiplying by 0.000192901234568.
Which is the bigger unit, the fathom or the point?
The fathom. One fathom equals 5184 points.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure length. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a fathom?
Six feet, the traditional depth unit on marine charts.
What is a point?
The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do ftm to pt in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: multiply by 5000 instead of using the exact factor 5184. At 100 that shortcut gives 500,000 points, off by 18400.000000 points or about 3.55%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Fathoms to points reference tables
| Fathoms | Points |
|---|---|
| 0.5 ftm | 2592 pt |
| 1 ftm | 5184 pt |
| 2 ftm | 10,368 pt |
| 3 ftm | 15,552 pt |
| 5 ftm | 25,920 pt |
| 10 ftm | 51,840 pt |
| 20 ftm | 103,680 pt |
| 25 ftm | 129,600 pt |
| 50 ftm | 259,200 pt |
| 75 ftm | 388,800 pt |
| 100 ftm | 518,400 pt |
| 250 ftm | 1.296e+06 pt |
| 500 ftm | 2.592e+06 pt |
| 1000 ftm | 5.184e+06 pt |
| 5000 ftm | 2.592e+07 pt |
Exact factor: 1 fathom = 5184 points.
| Quantity | ftm | pt |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 0.04681 ftm | 242.6 pt |
| A door height | 1.111 ftm | 5760 pt |
| An Olympic pool | 27.34 ftm | 1.417e+05 pt |
| The Eiffel Tower | 180.4 ftm | 9.354e+05 pt |
| A marathon | 2.307e+04 ftm | 1.196e+08 pt |
| Earth’s diameter | 6.967e+06 ftm | 3.612e+10 pt |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.