What is acres per hour?

Acres per Hour is a measurement that indicates the area of land, in acres, that can be covered by a piece of equipment (like a tractor or harvester) within one hour. It helps farmers and agricultural workers assess the efficiency of their machinery for tasks such as planting, spraying, or harvesting, enabling better time and resource management in the field.

Formula for Calculating Acres per Hour

The formula for calculating acres per hour is:

$\text{Acres per Hour} = \left( \frac{\text{Width of Equipment (in feet)} \times \text{Speed (in mph)}}{8.25} \right)$

Explanation of the Formula:

• Width of Equipment: The working width of the equipment or machine in feet (e.g., the width of a tractor’s plow).
• Speed: The operating speed of the equipment in miles per hour (mph).
• 8.25: This is a constant that converts the area covered per hour (in square feet) to acres, as 1 acre equals 43,560 square feet and this formula assumes a conversion factor that accounts for an hour's time.

Example Calculation

Suppose you have a tractor with a working width of 20 feet, operating at a speed of 5 miles per hour. Using the formula:

$\text{Acres per Hour} = \left( \frac{20 \times 5}{8.25} \right)$

$\text{Acres per Hour} = 12.12 \, \text{acres per hour}$

This means that, under these conditions, the tractor can cover approximately 12.12 acres in an hour.