What this calculator does
Turn a height in feet and inches into centimeters, or centimeters into feet and inches. Most people know their height in only one system. Americans say it in feet and inches. Nearly everywhere else uses centimeters or meters, including every passport, medical form and sports database outside the US. The idea is easy, but the last step catches people out. 175 cm is 5.74 feet, and that's 5 feet 8.9 inches, not 5 feet 7.4 inches.
This converter works both ways in feet and inches, so you never have to split decimal feet by hand. Enter feet and inches to get centimeters, meters, total inches and decimal feet. Or enter centimeters or meters to get feet and inches to one decimal place, to the nearest inch, and as total inches. A chart lists every height from 4 ft 6 in to 7 ft 0 in.
Where it's used
Why this math matters outside the classroom:
- Forms and IDs. Someone 5 ft 9 in tall enters 175.26 cm on a form that asks for height in metric.
- Sports rosters. A basketball player listed at 2.06 m is about 6 ft 9 in tall.
- Ride height limits. A ride with a 122 cm height limit requires a child to be about 4 ft tall.
- Growth charts. Parents compare a child's height of 110 cm with about 3 ft 7.3 in.
- Doorways. A standard 80 in US interior door is 6 ft 8 in, or 203.2 cm, tall.
Grade level and standards: Grades 5–6; Common Core State Standards for Mathematics 5.MD.A.1, 6.RP.A.3.d. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.
How to use it
- Choose the direction: feet and inches to cm, or cm or m to feet and inches.
- For feet and inches, enter whole feet and then the inches. Decimals such as 8.5 are fine.
- For metric, enter the height and choose cm or m from the unit menu.
- Read the result, and use the chart below for quick lookups.
What the inputs mean
- Feet
- Whole feet, 0 to 10.
- Inches
- The inches on top of the feet. If you enter 12 or more, the extra rolls over into feet, so 4 ft 14 in is the same as 5 ft 2 in. You can also enter 0 ft and your full height in inches.
- Height
- Your height in centimeters or meters. Pick which one with the unit menu beside the box.
Formula and method
total inches = feet × 12 + inches cm = total inches × 2.54; m = cm ÷ 100 total inches = cm ÷ 2.54; feet = whole part of (total inches ÷ 12); inches = total inches − feet × 12
By international agreement, one inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters. So a foot, which is 12 inches, is exactly 30.48 centimeters. That means turning feet and inches into centimeters needs no rounding at all. The answer is exact, to as many digits as you like.
To go the other way, divide by 2.54 to get total inches. Then take out as many whole feet (12 inches each) as fit, and what's left is the inches. The calculator rounds the inches to one decimal place first. That way, 71.97 in becomes 6 ft 0 in, not an awkward 5 ft 12 in.
Worked example
Convert a height of 5 ft 9 in to centimeters, and a height of 168 cm to feet and inches.
- 5 ft 9 in: 5 × 12 + 9 = 69 inches.
- 69 × 2.54 = 175.26 cm, which is 1.7526 m.
- 168 cm: 168 ÷ 2.54 = 66.1417 inches.
- 66.1 inches = 5 × 12 + 6.1, so 5 ft 6.1 in.
Result: 5 ft 9 in is exactly 175.26 cm (1.753 m). 168 cm is 5 ft 6.1 in, or 5′ 6″ to the nearest inch.
Understanding the result
The nearest-inch number is what you'd write on a form that asks for feet and inches. The one-decimal number is better for comparing heights or tracking a child's growth.
Watch out for decimal feet. 5.5 ft means 5 ft 6 in, because half a foot is 6 inches. Reading decimal feet as if the digits were inches is the most common height mistake. Don't worry, the converter does this split for you.
Some handy reference points: 5 ft is 152.4 cm, 5 ft 6 in is 167.64 cm, and 6 ft is 182.88 cm. Going the other way, 160 cm is 5 ft 3 in, 170 cm is 5 ft 6.9 in, and 180 cm is 5 ft 10.9 in.
Assumptions and limitations
- It uses the international inch and foot: 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly, and 1 ft = 12 in.
- Height is one straight measurement, usually taken standing up without shoes.
- Feet-and-inches answers are rounded to a tenth of an inch, about 2.5 mm.
- It accepts heights up to 400 cm (or 10 ft plus inches). For very long lengths, use the length converter.
- It only converts units. It doesn't compare your height with growth charts or averages.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert cm to feet and inches?
Divide the centimeters by 2.54 to get total inches, then divide by 12. The whole number is the feet, and what's left over is the inches. For 180 cm: 180 ÷ 2.54 = 70.87 inches. And 70.87 = 5 × 12 + 10.87, so 5 ft 10.9 in.
How tall is 5 ft 7 in in cm?
5 ft 7 in is 67 inches, and 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm. In the same way, 5 ft 4 in is 162.56 cm and 5 ft 11 in is 180.34 cm.
How do I find my height in inches?
Multiply the feet by 12 and add the inches. 5 ft 9 in is 5 × 12 + 9 = 69 inches. The converter shows total inches in both directions.
Is 6 feet the same as 183 cm?
Almost. 6 ft is exactly 182.88 cm, which rounds to 183 cm. Going the other way, 183 cm is 72.05 inches, which rounds to 6 ft 0 in at one decimal place. So for everyday use, you can treat them as the same.
How this calculator is checked
Method: International yard and pound agreement (1959): 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly; 1 ft = 12 in. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-18. Found a problem? Tell us.
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