Definition and Use of Mileage Miles are occasionally shortened as mi and other times as m. 1 mile, for example, can be expressed as 1 mi or 1 m. A rate of 5 miles per hour means that you can walk 1 mile in 20 minutes. Mileages are used to express the distance between two points or locations. They are usually measured along a straight line, using the mile post system, but they can also be by compass direction or aerial distance. The word "mile" comes from a Roman measure of length equal to 5000 feet or 1524.8 meters. It is still used today in countries where English is not the first language, such as India and Pakistan. Miles are commonly used to estimate the distance between two objects or places. For example, if you want to know how far it is to New York City, you could say that it is about 870 miles (1440 kilometers). Or you could say that it's about 11 hours on the bus. Both statements are accurate because they're based on estimates of time and distance. The actual travel distance may be longer or shorter than what you estimated. When you write down your mileage, keep track of the date, time, and location exactly so you can correctly claim expenses later. You should use a paper log for this purpose.