The short answer
- One inch is exactly 2.54 cm.
- One foot is 12 inches, or exactly 30.48 cm.
- To convert feet and inches to cm: total inches × 2.54.
- To convert cm to inches: divide by 2.54, then split into feet (12 inches each) and inches.
Feet, inches, centimetres and metres
The inch and foot are imperial units. Since 1959, the UK, US and other English-speaking countries have defined the inch as exactly 2.54 cm, and UK law sets this out in the Weights and Measures Act 1985. There are 12 inches in a foot and 100 centimetres in a metre.
Heights are often written with primes: 5′7″ means 5 feet 7 inches. On a keyboard people type 5'7" instead, which means the same.
Feet and inches to centimetres
- Feet to inches5 × 1260 in
- Add the extra inches60 + 767 in
- Inches to centimetres67 × 2.54170.18 cm
Centimetres to feet and inches
- Centimetres to inches180 ÷ 2.5470.9 in
- Whole feet70.9 ÷ 12 = 5.95 ft
- Inches left over70.9 − 6010.9 in
A quick mental check: 30 cm is about a foot, so 150 cm is about 5 feet. More exactly, 5 ft is 152.4 cm, and 6 ft is 182.88 cm.
Height table, 4′10″ to 6′8″
| Feet and inches | Inches | Centimetres | Metres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4′10″ | 58 | 147.3 | 1.47 |
| 4′11″ | 59 | 149.9 | 1.50 |
| 5′0″ | 60 | 152.4 | 1.52 |
| 5′1″ | 61 | 154.9 | 1.55 |
| 5′2″ | 62 | 157.5 | 1.57 |
| 5′3″ | 63 | 160.0 | 1.60 |
| 5′4″ | 64 | 162.6 | 1.63 |
| 5′5″ | 65 | 165.1 | 1.65 |
| 5′6″ | 66 | 167.6 | 1.68 |
| 5′7″ | 67 | 170.2 | 1.70 |
| 5′8″ | 68 | 172.7 | 1.73 |
| 5′9″ | 69 | 175.3 | 1.75 |
| 5′10″ | 70 | 177.8 | 1.78 |
| 5′11″ | 71 | 180.3 | 1.80 |
| 6′0″ | 72 | 182.9 | 1.83 |
| 6′1″ | 73 | 185.4 | 1.85 |
| 6′2″ | 74 | 188.0 | 1.88 |
| 6′3″ | 75 | 190.5 | 1.91 |
| 6′4″ | 76 | 193.0 | 1.93 |
| 6′5″ | 77 | 195.6 | 1.96 |
| 6′6″ | 78 | 198.1 | 1.98 |
| 6′7″ | 79 | 200.7 | 2.01 |
| 6′8″ | 80 | 203.2 | 2.03 |
Common heights in centimetres
| Centimetres | Feet and inches | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 4 ft 11.1 in | 59.1 |
| 160 cm | 5 ft 3 in | 63.0 |
| 165 cm | 5 ft 5 in | 65.0 |
| 170 cm | 5 ft 6.9 in | 66.9 |
| 175 cm | 5 ft 8.9 in | 68.9 |
| 180 cm | 5 ft 10.9 in | 70.9 |
| 185 cm | 6 ft 0.8 in | 72.8 |
| 190 cm | 6 ft 2.8 in | 74.8 |
| 200 cm | 6 ft 6.7 in | 78.7 |
Height in inches only
Some US forms, clothing size charts and medical formulas ask for height in inches alone. Multiply the feet by 12 and add the inches: 5 ft 7 in is 67 inches and 6 ft is 72 inches. Choose Inches only in the calculator to convert a total in inches to centimetres and feet.
Decimal feet and rounding
Inches are twelfths of a foot, not tenths. 5.5 feet is 5 ft 6 in, not 5 ft 5 in. When the calculator rounds and the inches reach 12, it carries them into the next foot, so you see 6 ft 0 in rather than 5 ft 12 in.
Choose your precision
Under More options, pick 0, 1 or 2 decimal places. One decimal place is plenty for a person’s height, as a measurement is rarely more accurate than half a centimetre.
Measuring your height accurately
- Take off your shoes and stand with your back and heels against a wall.
- Look straight ahead with your head level.
- Rest a flat object, such as a hardback book, on the top of your head and mark the wall under it.
- Measure from the floor to the mark with a steel tape.
You are slightly taller in the morning than in the evening, as the discs in your spine are squeezed a little during the day. Measure at the same time of day if you want to compare.
Where you need your height
Height is used to work out body mass index, so our BMI calculator accepts both units. It also goes into the calorie calculator and the body fat calculator. For weight, use the stone to kg converter.