Radio waves travel at the same speed as light waves, which is a constant called
c:
The speed of light in vacuum, commonly denoted
c, is a universal physical
constant important in many areas of physics. Its exact value is defined as 299792458 metres per second (approximately 300000 km/s, or 186000 mi/s).
The length of a halfwave dipole can be calculated in meters, feet or inches.
Mathematical Applications
λ (lambda) = c/freq
The length of the antenna is less than the free space length because of the "end effect."
Dipole Antenna Length: Calculation & Formula » Electronics Notes
The end effect is larger for VHF and UHF antennas because of the length to diameter ratio. Using the inches formula and the correction factor of 0.94:
5905 x 0.94 = 5550
Empirical tests show that 5540 works best in practical TV antennas:
5540 divided by 57 MHz = 97.2 inches