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Ideal Weight Calculator

See what four well-known ideal weight formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi) give for your height, next to the healthy-BMI weight range.

Level: Grades 6–7

  • Common Core standard 6.EE.A.2.cEvaluate expressions at specific values of their variables. Include expressions that arise from formulas used in real-world problems. Perform arithmetic operations, including those involving whole-number exponents, in the conventional order when there are no parentheses to specify a particular order (Order of Operations).
  • Common Core standard 6.RP.A.3.dUse ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.
Printable worksheet

Ideal Weight Calculator

Know the answer you need? Pick an input to work backward.

Inputs
Units
Sex

The published equations have separate versions for males and females.

Optional. Shows how your weight compares with the healthy-BMI range.

Result

Devine formula

160.9 lb

The four formulas give 155–166 lb; these are rough historical estimates, not personal targets.

Robinson formula
156.5 lb
Miller formula
155 lb
Hamwi formula
166 lb
Weight for BMI 18.5–24.9 at this height
128.9 – 173.5 lb

See the step-by-step solution ↓

Ideal weight by height for men (lb), around your height
Ideal weight by height for men (lb), around your height
HeightDevineRobinsonMillerHamwiBMI 18.5–24.9
5 ft 4 in130.5131.4136.3130107.8 – 145.1
5 ft 5 in135.6135.6139.4136111.2 – 149.6
5 ft 6 in140.7139.8142.6142114.6 – 154.3
5 ft 7 in145.7144145.7148118.1 – 159
5 ft 8 in150.8148.2148.8154121.7 – 163.8
5 ft 9 in155.9152.3151.9160125.3 – 168.6
5 ft 10 in160.9156.5155166128.9 – 173.5
5 ft 11 in166160.7158.1172132.6 – 178.5
6 ft 0 in171.1164.9161.2178136.4 – 183.6
6 ft 1 in176.1169.1164.3184140.2 – 188.7
6 ft 2 in181.2173.3167.4190144.1 – 193.9
6 ft 3 in186.3177.5170.5196148 – 199.2
6 ft 4 in191.4181.7173.6202152 – 204.6

Step-by-step solution

  1. Find how many inches you are above 5 feet (60 inches)

    5×12+10−60=10 in

  2. Devine: start at 50 kg and add 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 ft, then convert to lb

    50+2.3×10=73 kg=160.94 lb

  3. Robinson: start at 52 kg and add 1.9 kg for each inch over 5 ft, then convert to lb

    52+1.9×10=71 kg=156.53 lb

  4. Miller: start at 56.2 kg and add 1.41 kg for each inch over 5 ft, then convert to lb

    56.2+1.41×10=70.3 kg=154.98 lb

  5. Hamwi: start at 106 lb and add 6 lb for each inch over 5 ft

    106+6×10=166 lb

  6. Find the healthy-BMI weight range: multiply your height in meters by itself, then by 18.5 and by 24.9

    18.5×1.7782=58.5 kg; 24.9×1.7782=78.7 kg

Test yourself

20 quick questions built from this calculator's formula: work out results, predict what happens when an input changes, and work backward from an answer. Every answer comes with the working.

Please note: This calculator gives a general screening estimate, not a diagnosis. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional about your individual health.

What this calculator does

See what four well-known 'ideal weight' formulas give for your sex and height. You'll also see the weight range that matches a healthy BMI, and a table of the same figures for nearby heights. Each formula turns a height into one reference weight.

These formulas weren't made to tell you what to weigh. Most began as quick shortcuts for doctors and other health workers, mainly to work out medicine doses. Only later did people start using them much more widely.

Here you'll see four of the best known side by side. Next to them is the weight range for a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 at your height. BMI (body mass index) compares your weight with your height. Seeing them together makes the main point clear: they disagree, and none of them allows for frame size, muscle or age. Treat the numbers as rough estimates from the past, not targets or a diagnosis. A healthcare professional can tell you what's right for you.

Where it's used

Why this math matters outside the classroom:

  • Devine formula. For a man 5 ft 10 in tall, Devine gives 50 + 2.3 × 10 = 73 kg, which is about 161 lb.
  • Weight range from BMI. Multiplying 18.5 and 24.9 by a height of 1.75 m squared gives a weight range of about 56.7 to 76.3 kg.
  • Comparing formulas. Students compare Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi for one height to see how four published estimates spread out.
  • Pharmacy courses. Pharmacy and nursing students learn Devine's formula because some reference calculations use ideal body weight.
  • Tracking progress. People compare their logged weight with the range for their height as one reference point among several.

Grade level and standards: Grades 6–7; Common Core State Standards for Mathematics 6.EE.A.2.c, 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

  1. Choose US units (feet and inches) or metric (centimeters).
  2. Pick your sex and enter your height. The formulas work from 5 ft (152.4 cm) up.
  3. Compare the four formula results with the healthy-BMI weight range shown below them.
  4. If you like, enter your current weight to see how it compares with that range. Use the table to look up nearby heights.

What the inputs mean

Sex
Each formula has a male and a female version, with different starting weights.
Height (feet)
Whole feet here. Put the rest in the inches box. The formulas don't cover heights under 5 ft.
Current weight (optional)
Optional. It doesn't change any formula result. It's only compared with the healthy-BMI range.

Formula and method

x = height in inches − 60
Devine (1974):   male 50 kg + 2.3 kg × x;   female 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg × x
Robinson (1983): male 52 kg + 1.9 kg × x;   female 49 kg + 1.7 kg × x
Miller (1983):   male 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg × x;  female 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg × x
Hamwi (1964):    male 106 lb + 6 lb × x;    female 100 lb + 5 lb × x
Healthy-BMI range = 18.5 × height(m)² to 24.9 × height(m)²

In the formulas, x is how many inches you are above 5 feet (60 inches). Each formula starts from a base weight at 5 feet and adds a set amount for every inch above that. kg means kilograms and lb means pounds.

Devine, Robinson and Miller were published in kilograms. Hamwi was published in pounds, so the calculator works it out in pounds. Then it converts exactly (1 lb = 0.45359237 kg) instead of using rounded metric numbers.

Heights in centimeters are turned into inches by dividing by 2.54. The BMI range uses the standard adult cut-offs and your height in meters, multiplied by itself (squared).

The table repeats every formula for six heights on each side of yours. It moves in 1-inch steps for US units or 2.5 cm steps for metric, and stops at 5 ft.

Worked example

A man is 5 ft 10 in tall.

  1. Inches above 5 ft: 70 − 60 = 10.
  2. Devine: 50 + 2.3 × 10 = 73 kg = 160.9 lb. Robinson: 52 + 1.9 × 10 = 71 kg = 156.5 lb.
  3. Miller: 56.2 + 1.41 × 10 = 70.3 kg = 155.0 lb. Hamwi: 106 + 6 × 10 = 166.0 lb.
  4. BMI 18.5–24.9 at 1.778 m: 58.5 to 78.7 kg, or 128.9 – 173.5 lb.

Result: The formulas range from 155.0 to 166.0 lb (Devine: 160.9 lb). All of them fall within the healthy-BMI range of 128.9 – 173.5 lb.

Understanding the result

The formulas often differ by 5 to 10 kg (about 11 to 22 lb). That's a good reminder of how rough they are. A weight anywhere in the healthy-BMI range can be right, depending on your build and health.

Devine is shown first because it's the best known of the four. That doesn't mean it's better at describing a healthy weight.

Want to know if your current weight is right for you? A healthcare professional can look at body makeup, waist size, fitness and medical history. These formulas see none of that.

Assumptions and limitations

  • You're an adult at least 5 ft (152.4 cm) tall.
  • Your height is entered accurately. Nothing is adjusted for frame size or age.
  • Results are shown to one decimal place in the units you chose.
  • These formulas were made decades ago from limited data, mostly for working out medicine doses. They were never tested as personal weight goals.
  • They ignore body makeup (how much is muscle and how much is fat). A muscular person may weigh well above every formula and be perfectly healthy.
  • They don't work for heights under 5 ft. They aren't suitable for children, teens, or during pregnancy.
  • The BMI range has its own limits, which the BMI calculator page explains.

Frequently asked questions

Which ideal weight formula is the most accurate?

None of them can tell you what you should weigh. They are simple straight-line rules from different decades, and they give different answers. Looking at their range next to the healthy-BMI range tells you more than picking one.

What is the ideal weight for a 5 ft 4 in woman?

The four formulas give 120.0 lb (Hamwi), 120.6 lb (Devine), 123.0 lb (Robinson) and 129.1 lb (Miller). A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 at that height spans about 107.8 to 145.1 lb. That spread is typical, and none of the numbers allows for frame size or muscle.

What is the ideal weight for a 5 ft 10 in man?

The formulas give 155.0 lb (Miller), 156.5 lb (Robinson), 160.9 lb (Devine) and 166.0 lb (Hamwi). The healthy-BMI range at 5 ft 10 in is about 128.9 to 173.5 lb.

Why does the calculator not work below 5 feet?

Each formula is a base weight at 5 feet plus an amount for each inch above it. Below 5 feet you'd have to subtract, which the original authors never set out. The results also get unrealistic quickly.

Why is my healthy-BMI range so wide?

Because healthy bodies vary a lot. The range covers every weight that gives a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 at your height, and that reflects real differences in build. It's a quick screening range, not a prescription.

Should I set a goal weight from these numbers?

Not on their own. They're old estimates that ignore muscle, frame and health history. If you're thinking about a weight goal, talk it over with a doctor or registered dietitian.

How this calculator is checked

Method: Devine BJ (1974); Robinson JD et al. (1983); Miller DR et al. (1983); Hamwi GJ (1964) ideal body weight formulas; WHO adult BMI cut-offs 18.5 and 24.9 for the range. 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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