47 knots is equal to approximately 54.1012 miles per hour (mph).
Table of Contents
To convert knots to mph, you multiply the number of knots by the conversion factor 1.15078 because one knot equals 1.15078 miles per hour. This calculation gives the equivalent speed in mph.
Conversion Tool
Result in mph:
Conversion Formula
The formula to convert knots to miles per hour (mph) is:
mph = knots × 1.15078
This works by multiplying the speed value in knots by the factor 1.15078, because one knot is exactly equal to 1.15078 miles per hour. The factor comes from the definition of a nautical mile, which is slightly longer than a standard mile.
Example calculation step-by-step for 47 knots:
- Start with 47 knots.
- Multiply 47 by 1.15078.
- 47 × 1.15078 = 54.10166.
- Round the result to four decimal places: 54.1012 mph.
Conversion Example
- Convert 30 knots to mph:
- Start with 30 knots.
- Multiply 30 × 1.15078 = 34.5234 mph.
- Result: 34.5234 mph.
- Convert 55 knots to mph:
- 55 × 1.15078 = 63.2929 mph.
- This means 55 knots equals 63.2929 mph.
- Convert 12.5 knots to mph:
- 12.5 × 1.15078 = 14.38475 mph.
- Rounded: 14.3848 mph.
- Convert 70 knots to mph:
- 70 × 1.15078 = 80.5546 mph.
- Speed in mph is 80.5546.
Conversion Chart
The chart below shows knots values from 22.0 to 72.0, with their equivalent in mph. Use the chart to quickly find the mph equivalent without calculation, by matching the knots value in the left column to the mph on the right.
| Knots | mph |
|---|---|
| 22.0 | 25.3172 |
| 27.0 | 31.0709 |
| 32.0 | 36.8250 |
| 37.0 | 42.5790 |
| 42.0 | 48.3328 |
| 47.0 | 54.0867 |
| 52.0 | 59.8406 |
| 57.0 | 65.5945 |
| 62.0 | 71.3484 |
| 67.0 | 77.1023 |
| 72.0 | 82.8562 |
Related Conversion Questions
- How many miles per hour is 47 knots equal to on a boat?
- What is the mph equivalent of 47 knots in aviation speed?
- Does 47 knots convert to more or less than 50 mph?
- How to quickly convert 47 knots to mph without a calculator?
- What is the formula to change 47 knots into miles per hour?
- Is 47 knots faster than 54 mph when driving a car?
- How to compare 47 knots speed with mph in wind measurements?
Conversion Definitions
Knots: Knots is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. It is widely used in maritime and aviation contexts to measure the speed of vessels and aircraft. One knot equals exactly 1.15078 miles per hour, based on the length of a nautical mile, which is about 1.852 kilometers.
mph: Miles per hour (mph) is a unit measuring speed in terms of how many miles are traveled in one hour. It is commonly used in the United States and the United Kingdom for road speed limits and vehicle speeds. One mph equals approximately 0.868976 knots, the reciprocal of the knot-to-mph conversion factor.
Conversion FAQs
Why is the conversion factor 1.15078 used for knots to mph?
The factor 1.15078 comes from the definition of a nautical mile as exactly 1,852 meters, which is longer than a standard mile (1,609.34 meters). Since knots are nautical miles per hour, converting to statute miles per hour requires multiplying by the ratio of these distances, resulting in 1.15078.
Can I use the same formula to convert mph to knots?
No, to convert mph to knots, you must divide the mph value by 1.15078, or multiply by approximately 0.868976. This inverse operation is necessary because mph and knots are based on different distance standards per hour.
Are knots used only for boats and planes?
Knots are mostly found in maritime and aviation speed measurements, but they can also be used in weather reports, especially for wind speeds over oceans and coastal areas. Using knots provides consistency with nautical miles, which relate better to navigation charts.
Does converting knots to mph change the actual speed?
No, the conversion does not change the actual speed but expresses the same velocity in a different unit. The value changes numerically but the physical speed remains constant; only the units differ between nautical miles and statute miles.
Is it accurate to round the mph result to two decimal places?
Rounding to two decimals is generally acceptable for everyday use, like driving or boating speed. However, for precise navigation or scientific purposes, more decimal places may be necessary to avoid cumulative errors in calculations.