Convert centimetres to feet and inches

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Type a value in centimetres and read the result in feet. The same measurement appears under the result field as feet and inches, so 180 cm reads straight away as 5 ft 10.9 in. Further down, a height table gives a row for every centimetre, next to a formula that converts a whole column.

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What is a centimetre and what is a foot?

A centimetre is one hundredth of a metre, and the metre is the SI base unit of length. Since 1983 its value has rested on the speed of light: the metre is the distance light travels in vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second[1]. Every metric unit follows from that single definition, so the centimetre carries an exact value.

The foot belongs to the imperial system and divides into twelve inches, a split the feet to inches converter works through. Today it takes its length straight from the metre. The international yard and pound agreement, in force since 1959, fixed the foot at exactly 0.3048 metres, which is 30.48 centimetres[2]. The divisor used on this page is therefore exact, and so is the result.

In the United States and the United Kingdom people give their height in feet and inches, while a metric value arrives from elsewhere: on a product specification, on a European medical form or on a passport application. The foot also survives in aviation, in shipping and on British road signs[3].

Five school rulers side by side, each carrying a centimetre scale and an inch scale
Every one of these rulers carries centimetres along one edge and inches along the other. The scale stops at thirty centimetres, just short of the twelfth inch, because a full foot measures 30.48 cm. Photo: Estabiano, CC0.

How many feet is one centimetre?

One centimetre is 0.03281 feet. The numbers in the other direction are round: one foot is exactly 30.48 centimetres and one inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres. To turn centimetres into feet you divide the value by 30.48.

For height the second notation is the one that counts. American and British forms take whole feet plus inches, so the converter shows both readings at once. The result field shows the decimal value, and the line under it repeats the same number as feet and inches.

Three values land on whole feet. 152.4 cm is exactly five feet. 182.88 cm is exactly six feet. 213.36 cm is exactly seven feet. Every figure in between produces a remainder, and that remainder is what gets written in inches.

How do you convert cm to feet and inches? Formula and example

The calculation takes two steps. First you divide the centimetres by 30.48, which gives the feet as a decimal. Then you take the part after the point on its own and multiply it by twelve, because a foot has twelve inches.

Take a height of 180 cm. Dividing 180 by 30.48 gives 5.90551 feet. The whole part is five full feet. The remainder, 0.90551, multiplied by twelve gives 10.87 inches. Written the way a form expects it, that is 5 ft 10.9 in, and rounded to the nearest inch, 5 ft 11 in.

Close-up of a tape measure labelled 5m/16ft next to an inch ruler and a centimetre ruler
The 5m/16ft label on the case gives the same tape length in both systems. Five metres come to 16.4 feet, so the maker rounded the number of feet down to a whole value. Photo: William Warby, Unsplash.

You can also work through inches alone. Divide the centimetres by 2.54, then divide the inches you get by twelve. The result comes out the same. That calculation has its own page: the centimetres to inches converter.

The other direction is multiplication: feet times 30.48, inches times 2.54, then add the two. The feet to centimetres converter does it for you and its field takes a height typed as feet with inches. For longer distances reach for the metres to feet converter.

How many feet is a given number of centimetres?

The first column gives the decimal result and the second gives the same measurement written as feet and inches, exactly as the line under the result field shows it.
CentimetresFeetFeet and inches
1 cm0.03281 ft0 ft 0.4 in
5 cm0.16404 ft0 ft 2 in
10 cm0.32808 ft0 ft 3.9 in
15 cm0.49213 ft0 ft 5.9 in
20 cm0.65617 ft0 ft 7.9 in
25 cm0.82021 ft0 ft 9.8 in
30 cm0.98425 ft0 ft 11.8 in
30.48 cm1 ft1 ft 0 in
40 cm1.31234 ft1 ft 3.7 in
50 cm1.64042 ft1 ft 7.7 in
60 cm1.9685 ft1 ft 11.6 in
70 cm2.29659 ft2 ft 3.6 in
75 cm2.46063 ft2 ft 5.5 in
80 cm2.62467 ft2 ft 7.5 in
90 cm2.95276 ft2 ft 11.4 in
100 cm3.28084 ft3 ft 3.4 in
110 cm3.60892 ft3 ft 7.3 in
120 cm3.93701 ft3 ft 11.2 in
125 cm4.10105 ft4 ft 1.2 in
130 cm4.26509 ft4 ft 3.2 in
140 cm4.59318 ft4 ft 7.1 in
150 cm4.92126 ft4 ft 11.1 in
152.4 cm5 ft5 ft 0 in
160 cm5.24934 ft5 ft 3 in
165 cm5.41339 ft5 ft 5 in
170 cm5.57743 ft5 ft 6.9 in
175 cm5.74147 ft5 ft 8.9 in
180 cm5.90551 ft5 ft 10.9 in
182.88 cm6 ft6 ft 0 in
185 cm6.06955 ft6 ft 0.8 in
190 cm6.2336 ft6 ft 2.8 in
195 cm6.39764 ft6 ft 4.8 in
200 cm6.56168 ft6 ft 6.7 in
213.36 cm7 ft7 ft 0 in
220 cm7.21785 ft7 ft 2.6 in
230 cm7.54593 ft7 ft 6.6 in
240 cm7.87402 ft7 ft 10.5 in
250 cm8.2021 ft8 ft 2.4 in
300 cm9.84252 ft9 ft 10.1 in
400 cm13.12336 ft13 ft 1.5 in
500 cm16.4042 ft16 ft 4.9 in
1,000 cm32.8084 ft32 ft 9.7 in
Four rows land on whole feet: 30.48 cm, 152.4 cm, 182.88 cm and 213.36 cm. The reverse conversion lives in the feet to centimetres converter.

What is that height in feet and inches?

Heights in English-speaking countries are quoted in whole inches, so the first column rounds the result to the nearest inch. The second gives the same value as a decimal when you need the exact figure.
HeightFeet and inchesFeet
150 cm4 ft 11 in4.9213 ft
151 cm4 ft 11 in4.9541 ft
152 cm5 ft 0 in4.9869 ft
153 cm5 ft 0 in5.0197 ft
154 cm5 ft 1 in5.0525 ft
155 cm5 ft 1 in5.0853 ft
156 cm5 ft 1 in5.1181 ft
157 cm5 ft 2 in5.1509 ft
158 cm5 ft 2 in5.1837 ft
159 cm5 ft 3 in5.2165 ft
160 cm5 ft 3 in5.2493 ft
161 cm5 ft 3 in5.2822 ft
162 cm5 ft 4 in5.315 ft
163 cm5 ft 4 in5.3478 ft
164 cm5 ft 5 in5.3806 ft
165 cm5 ft 5 in5.4134 ft
166 cm5 ft 5 in5.4462 ft
167 cm5 ft 6 in5.479 ft
168 cm5 ft 6 in5.5118 ft
169 cm5 ft 7 in5.5446 ft
170 cm5 ft 7 in5.5774 ft
171 cm5 ft 7 in5.6102 ft
172 cm5 ft 8 in5.643 ft
173 cm5 ft 8 in5.6759 ft
174 cm5 ft 9 in5.7087 ft
175 cm5 ft 9 in5.7415 ft
176 cm5 ft 9 in5.7743 ft
177 cm5 ft 10 in5.8071 ft
178 cm5 ft 10 in5.8399 ft
179 cm5 ft 10 in5.8727 ft
180 cm5 ft 11 in5.9055 ft
181 cm5 ft 11 in5.9383 ft
182 cm6 ft 0 in5.9711 ft
183 cm6 ft 0 in6.0039 ft
184 cm6 ft 0 in6.0367 ft
185 cm6 ft 1 in6.0696 ft
186 cm6 ft 1 in6.1024 ft
187 cm6 ft 2 in6.1352 ft
188 cm6 ft 2 in6.168 ft
189 cm6 ft 2 in6.2008 ft
190 cm6 ft 3 in6.2336 ft
191 cm6 ft 3 in6.2664 ft
192 cm6 ft 4 in6.2992 ft
193 cm6 ft 4 in6.332 ft
194 cm6 ft 4 in6.3648 ft
195 cm6 ft 5 in6.3976 ft
196 cm6 ft 5 in6.4304 ft
197 cm6 ft 6 in6.4633 ft
198 cm6 ft 6 in6.4961 ft
199 cm6 ft 6 in6.5289 ft
200 cm6 ft 7 in6.5617 ft
One inch is 2.54 cm, so every whole-inch reading covers a band of centimetres exactly that wide. The reading 5 ft 11 in matches any height from 179.07 to 181.61 cm. That is why one calculator answers 5 ft 11 in and another 5.90551 ft. Forms take the first notation and calculations take the second.
An unfolded aluminium folding rule with a centimetre scale and a 2m marking
This folding rule measures two metres and carries a centimetre scale. Two hundred centimetres come to 6 ft 6.7 in, which is the last row of the table above. Photo: Lysippos, CC0.

How long was a foot before the metric reform?

Today the foot has one value worldwide. Before 1959 every country measured it slightly differently, and before metrication the spread was far wider: the British foot stood at 30.4799 cm and the Roman pes at 29.57 cm[3].
Foot variantLengthWhere it appliedWhen
International foot30.48 cmcountries of the yard and pound agreementsince 1959
US survey foot30.48006 cmland surveying in the United Statesuntil 31 December 2022
Pre-1959 British foot30.47990 cmthe United Kingdomuntil 1959
Rural Bordeaux foot35.72 cmthe countryside around Bordeauxuntil metrication
Roman pes29.57 cmthe Roman Empireantiquity
Pied du Roi32.484 cmFrance before metricationuntil 1799
Rhineland foot31.37 cmPrussia and the German statesuntil metrication
Utrecht foot27.28 cmthe city of Utrechtuntil metrication
The pre-metric spread across Europe ran from the Utrecht foot at 27.28 cm to the rural Bordeaux foot at 35.72 cm[3], so on an old deed the town matters as much as the number. The US survey foot ran two parts per million longer than the international one, which is two millimetres over a kilometre. The American measurement institute retired it on 1 January 2023 and states plainly that it now serves historical and legacy records only[4].

How do you convert centimetres to feet in a spreadsheet?

For a single value the field above is quicker. For a whole column of heights a spreadsheet does it with one formula dragged down.

  1. Excel: the CONVERT function

    The formula reads CONVERT(number, from_unit, to_unit). A centimetre carries the code "cm" and a foot the code "ft", so for a value in cell A1 you type =CONVERT(A1,"cm","ft"). The unit codes are case sensitive, and localised versions of Excel separate the arguments with a semicolon[5].

  2. Plain division if you prefer no function

    The formula =A1/30.48 gives the same answer and works in every spreadsheet, Google Sheets and LibreOffice Calc included. If you prefer multiplying, use =A1*0.0328084 and keep in mind that this multiplier is rounded.

  3. Feet and inches in two columns

    The formula =INT(A1/30.48) gives the whole feet and =MOD(A1/2.54,12) gives the remaining inches. Side by side the two columns read exactly like 5 ft 11 in, the notation American forms ask for.

  4. Check the result on one cell first

    Before you drag the formula down the column, put 30.48 in cell A1 and check that the answer comes out as exactly 1. A #VALUE! message in place of the result means Excel does not read the content of cell A1 as a number, for example when a unit has been typed next to the value. Leave just the number in the cell[6].

Convert other units to Feet

miles to feetmeters to feetyards to feetinches to feetmm to feetpx to feet

Convert Centimeters to other units

cm to pxcm to mmcm to dmcm to meterscm to inchescm to kmcm to yards

Sources

  1. SI base unit: metre (m) — Bureau International des Poids et Mesures
  2. SI Units – Length — National Institute of Standards and Technology
  3. Foot (unit) — Wikipedia
  4. U.S. Survey Foot: Revised Unit Conversion Factors — National Institute of Standards and Technology
  5. CONVERT function — Microsoft
  6. How to correct a #VALUE! error — Microsoft

Every figure in the tables was computed from the unit definitions and checked arithmetically before publication. Historical values and the names of local units come from the sources listed above.

Content last reviewed: · written and checked by the Arteon team

Common questions about converting cm to feet

How many feet and inches is 180 cm?

180 cm is 5.90551 feet, which reads as 5 ft 10.9 in. Rounded to the nearest inch it is written 5 ft 11 in.

How many feet and inches is 170 cm?

170 cm is 5.57743 feet, which reads as 5 ft 6.9 in. The rounded form is 5 ft 7 in.

How many feet and inches is 175 cm?

175 cm is 5.74147 feet, which reads as 5 ft 8.9 in. The rounded form is 5 ft 9 in.

How many feet and inches is 165 cm?

165 cm is 5.41339 feet, which reads as 5 ft 5 in. The exact inch figure is 4.96, so rounding closes it to a full five.

How many feet and inches is 160 cm?

160 cm is 5.24934 feet, which reads as 5 ft 3 in. The exact inch figure is 2.99.

How many feet and inches is 190 cm?

190 cm is 6.23360 feet, which reads as 6 ft 2.8 in. The rounded form is 6 ft 3 in.

How many centimetres is five feet?

Five feet is exactly 152.4 cm, because one foot is exactly 30.48 cm. Six feet is 182.88 cm.

What fraction of a foot is one centimetre?

One centimetre is 0.03281 feet, which is just under four tenths of an inch.

What is the formula for cm to feet?

Feet = centimetres ÷ 30.48. To get the inches, multiply the part after the decimal point by twelve.

Why is a foot exactly 30.48 centimetres?

Because the 1959 yard and pound agreement set it that way. The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa adopted a yard of 0.9144 metres, and a third of that value is a foot of 0.3048 metres. The yard itself belongs to the yards to metres converter, and a height given in metres goes through the metres to centimetres converter. Centimetres go into yards through the centimetres to yards converter.

Can I type 5'10" into the result field?

Yes. The result field on this page is the feet field, so it takes 5'10" and shows the matching number of centimetres in the field above it.

Why do height calculators disagree?

Because of inch rounding. One inch is 2.54 cm, so the reading 5 ft 11 in covers any height from 179.07 to 181.61 cm. Forms take whole inches and calculations keep the decimal.

Arteon free tool screenshot: Convert centimetres to feet and inches

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