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Inches and Barleycorns

Age 14 to 16 Short Challenge Level:


Yards, furlongs, inches, cubits, chains and barleycorns are all imperial measures of length.

There are 220 yards in a furlong and 36 inches in a yard. There are 44 cubits in a chain and 54 barleycorns in a cubit. 1 furlong is the same as 10 chains.

How many barleycorns are there in an inch?



This problem is adapted from the World Mathematics Championships
You can find more short problems, arranged by curriculum topic, in our short problems collection.
The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.
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