Length Converter

Convert any length or distance between metric and imperial units. Pick what you are converting from and to, type a value, and the result updates instantly along with the exact conversion factor used.

1 cm equals

0.3937in

Conversion factor: × 0.39370079; 1 cm = 0.39370079 in
Reverse factor: × 2.54; 1 in = 2.54 cm

How length conversion works

Every unit of length can be expressed as a multiple of one base unit. This converter uses the metre, so each supported unit carries a single factor saying how many metres it represents.

Converting is then a two-step operation: multiply your value by the source factor to get metres, then divide by the target factor. Because everything passes through the same base unit, any unit converts to any other without a separate lookup table.

result = value × (factor of source unit) ÷ (factor of target unit)

Length conversion factors

Exact value of each unit in metres
Unit	Symbol	Metres
Millimetre	mm	0.001
Centimetre	cm	0.01
Metre	m	1
Kilometre	km	1,000
Inch	in	0.0254
Foot	ft	0.3048
Yard	yd	0.9144
Mile	mi	1,609.344
Nautical mile	nmi	1,852

The inch has been defined as exactly 25.4 mm since the international yard and pound agreement of 1959, so metric-to-imperial length conversions are exact rather than approximate.

Common conversions at a glance

From	To	Multiply by
Centimetres	Inches	0.393701
Inches	Centimetres	2.54
Metres	Feet	3.28084
Feet	Metres	0.3048
Kilometres	Miles	0.621371
Miles	Kilometres	1.609344

Example conversion

To convert 175 centimetres to feet, first go to the base unit: 175 × 0.01 = 1.75 metres. Then divide by the metres-per-foot factor: 1.75 ÷ 0.3048 = 5.741 feet.

That is 5 feet plus 0.741 of a foot. Multiplying the remainder by 12 gives 8.9 inches, so 175 cm is about 5 ft 9 in.

175 cm × 0.01 ÷ 0.3048 = 5.741 ft ≈ 5 ft 8.9 in

Metric and imperial in everyday use

Height is usually given in feet and inches in the US and UK, and in centimetres almost everywhere else.
Road distances use miles in the US and UK, kilometres in most other countries.
Nautical miles are used at sea and in aviation — one is a minute of latitude.
Screen and paper sizes mix the two freely: a 27-inch monitor is measured diagonally in inches worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many centimetres are in an inch?

Exactly 2.54 centimetres. This is a defined value, not a measured approximation, so conversions between inches and centimetres are exact.

How do I convert centimetres to feet and inches?

Divide the centimetres by 30.48 to get feet. The whole number is your feet, and multiplying the decimal remainder by 12 gives the inches. So 180 cm ÷ 30.48 = 5.905 ft, which is 5 ft 10.9 in.

Is a mile the same everywhere?

The statute mile of 1,609.344 metres is standard for land distances. The nautical mile is different at exactly 1,852 metres, and it is the unit used for sea and air navigation.

How accurate are the results?

Calculations use exact factors in full double precision and only the display is rounded. Increase the decimal places if you need more digits for engineering or scientific work.

Why convert through metres instead of directly?

Using one base unit means the converter needs only one factor per unit rather than a factor for every possible pair. Nine units would otherwise need 72 separate conversion factors.