If "hands" are 4 inches and "feet" are 12 inches because they are based on common lengths, why are yards 3 feet?
by 
ArcyQwerty
ANSWERS: 4
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Because that's all the yard anyone can afford anymore. ZING!
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Been in a Planned Unit Development neighborhood lately?
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Wikipedia says: ..... The yard derives its name from the word for a straight branch or rod,[3] although the precise origin of the measure is not definitely known. Some believe it derived from the double cubit, or that it originated from cubic measure, others from its near equivalents, like the length of a stride or pace. One postulate was that the yard was derived from the girth of a person's waist, while another claim held that the measure was invented by Henry I of England as being the distance between the tip of his nose and the end of his thumb.[4] It was first defined in law by Edward I of England in 1305,[5][6][7] and again by Edward III of England in 1353.[8] .....
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I was always taught it was the distance from the tip of your nose to the tip of your thumb when you hold your arm out straight to you side. It was an easy way of measuring fabric and string. Sailors prefered fathoms (2 yards), the distance from thumb to thumb with your arms spread eagle - a good way for measuring rope and sail canvas.
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