Feet to Centimeters (ft → cm) – Fast Reference Guide
Core idea: A foot is exactly 0.3048 meters, and a centimeter is exactly 0.01 meters, so 1 foot = 30.48 centimeters (exact). Convert by multiplying feet by 30.48. Reverse: divide centimeters by 30.48 to get feet.
Formulas
cm = ft × 30.48ft = cm ÷ 30.48- Meters bridge (if ever needed):
m = ft × 0.3048, then cm = m × 100 (gives same 30.48 factor).
Quick Values
| Feet | Centimeters | Inches |
|---|
| 0.5 | 15.24 | 6 in |
| 1 | 30.48 | 12 in |
| 5 | 152.4 | 60 in |
| 6 | 182.88 | 72 in |
| 10 | 304.8 | 120 in |
| 25 | 762 | 300 in |
Worked Example
Example: Convert 6 ft to centimeters.
Using the formula: cm = 6 × 30.48 = 182.88 cm. (Exact to 2 decimal places because the factor is exact.)
Where this Conversion is Used
- Human height (mixing metric and US customary).
- Interior design & furniture dimensions.
- Construction drawings requiring metric submission.
- Sports specs (e.g., vertical jump, high jump standards).
Accuracy & Tips
- 30.48 is exact (defined via the 1959 international foot).
- To do quick mental math: multiply feet by 3 → move decimal one place left (approx). Example: 6 ft → 18 → 180 cm (close to 182.88).
- For feet plus inches: convert inches to feet (
in ÷ 12) then multiply by 30.48.
- Reverse shortcut: divide cm by 30 then subtract about 1.5% for a closer feet value.
More Examples
| Feet (ft) | Centimeters (cm) | Meters (m) |
|---|
| 2 | 60.96 | 0.6096 |
| 8 | 243.84 | 2.4384 |
| 12 | 365.76 | 3.6576 |
| 15 | 457.2 | 4.572 |
| 30 | 914.4 | 9.144 |
FAQ
- Is 30.48 exact? Yes. The international foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 m, and 1 m = 100 cm, so 30.48 cm is exact.
- How many feet is 170 cm? 170 ÷ 30.48 ≈ 5.577 ft (about 5 ft 6.9 in).
- How many centimeters is 5′8″? 5 ft 8 in = (5 × 30.48) + (8 × 2.54) = 152.4 + 20.32 = 172.72 cm.
- Convert 180 cm to feet and inches: 180 ÷ 30.48 ≈ 5.9055 ft ⇒ 5 ft + (0.9055 × 12) ≈ 5 ft 10.87 in.
All factors follow international definitions (exact); displayed values rounded for readability.