[HPsquared]

For reference, 5280 = 2^5 × 3 × 5 × 11

(8 prime factors, 4 distinct)

So 5280 is better if you want to divide by 11, I guess! What a strange thing, how on earth did it end up with a factor of 11 in there...

Edit: it's complicated: https://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/inches.html

[sokoloff]

There are 11 fathoms in a chain, 10 chains in a furlong, and 8 furlongs to a mile.

Going the other way, 2 yards in a fathom and 3 feet in a yard. That accounts for all the factors above.