Convert feet to centimeters in seconds
1 ft x 30.48 = 30.48 cm
Discover other related calculators
Ever stared at a European furniture manual wondering if that 6-foot sofa will fit in your 180-cm living room wall? Or maybe you've tried decoding a Canadian friend's height description in centimeters while your brain only speaks feet? You're not alone – the feet-to-centimeters tango trips up millions yearly. Let's cut through the confusion.
Unit definitions
What is a foot (ft)?
- Description: A foot is an imperial unit equal to 12 inches
- Symbol: ft
- Common uses: Measuring height (people, buildings), room dimensions in US/UK
- Definition: Since 1959, 1 foot = 0.3048 meters exactly
What is a centimeter (cm)?
- Description: 1/100th of a meter in the metric system
- Symbol: cm
- Common uses: Scientific measurements, clothing sizes, medical charts globally
- Definition: 1 cm = 0.01 meters = 10 millimeters
Conversion formula
Centimeters = Feet × 30.48
Feet = Centimeters ÷ 30.48
Example calculations
- Converting 5 feet to cm:
5 ft × 30.48 = 152.4 cm
(That's the average height of a 10-year-old boy globally) - Converting 6.25 feet to cm:
6.25 × 30.48 = 190.5 cm
(Fun fact: This is roughly Michael Jordan's wingspan!)
Conversion tables
Feet to centimeters
| Feet | Centimeters |
|---|---|
| 1 | 30.48 |
| 2 | 60.96 |
| 3 | 91.44 |
| 4 | 121.92 |
| 5 | 152.4 |
| 6 | 182.88 |
| 7 | 213.36 |
| 8 | 243.84 |
| 9 | 274.32 |
| 10 | 304.8 |
Centimeters to feet
| Centimeters | Feet (approx) |
|---|---|
| 30 cm | 0.98 ft |
| 60 cm | 1.97 ft |
| 90 cm | 2.95 ft |
| 120 cm | 3.94 ft |
| 150 cm | 4.92 ft |
| 180 cm | 5.91 ft |
| 210 cm | 6.89 ft |
| 240 cm | 7.87 ft |
| 270 cm | 8.86 ft |
| 300 cm | 9.84 ft |
Historical background
The foot's origin? Literally based on human feet – ancient Romans used "pes" (about 29.4 cm). Problem was, everyone's feet differed! By 1959, nations finally agreed: 1 international foot = 30.48 cm exactly. Meanwhile, centimeters emerged from 1790s France's metric system, designed for decimal simplicity. Today, only three countries officially use feet: US, Liberia, and Myanmar.
Interesting facts
- The tallest human ever, Robert Wadlow, was 272 cm (8 ft 11 in)
- Aircraft altitudes use feet worldwide – even in metric countries
- 6 feet (182.88 cm) is the recommended social distance during flu seasons
- The Eiffel Tower shrinks 15 cm in cold weather due to metal contraction
- NBA basketball hoops are 10 feet (304.8 cm) high since 1891
FAQ
Feet are part of the imperial system, still used in the US and a few others. Most countries switched to centimeters (metric system) in teh 20th century for standardization.
Multiply total feet by 30.48. For 5'7", convert 5 feet to 152.4 cm and 7 inches to 17.78 cm, totaling 170.18 cm.
Yes! 5.5 feet = 167.64 cm, while 5 feet 5 inches = 165.1 cm. Always clarify which format you're using.
The 1 ft = 30.48 cm ratio is exact since 1959. Calculators give precise results if you input decimals correctly.
Useful for international furniture purchases (like IKEA sizes), understanding global height charts, or DIY projects with metric tools.