How the Feet to Cm Converter Works
The widget handles both directions of the most common height conversion: feet (with optional inches) to centimeters, or centimeters to feet+inches. The math uses the internationally defined exact conversion factor — 1 foot = 30.48 cm, 1 inch = 2.54 cm — so the results aren't approximations, they're exact.
The most common reason to convert: comparing your height (or someone else's) between US and metric systems. If you're filling out an international medical form, traveling and seeing height listed in cm, or watching basketball coverage that uses both systems interchangeably — this is the tool.
• Feet portion: 5 × 30.48 = 152.4 cm
• Inches portion: 9 × 2.54 = 22.86 cm
• Total: 152.4 + 22.86 = 175.26 cm (often rounded to 175 cm)
The Conversion Factors, Explained
The exact factor 1 inch = 2.54 cm was set in 1959 by international agreement (the "International Yard and Pound Agreement"). Before that, the US, UK, and Canada used slightly different inch lengths — small differences that mattered for engineering. The 1959 standardization picked a convenient round-number value (2.54 cm exactly) and the entire English-speaking world adopted it.
From there, all the related conversions follow: 12 inches per foot × 2.54 cm per inch = 30.48 cm per foot. 3 feet per yard × 30.48 = 91.44 cm per yard. 5,280 feet per mile × 30.48 ÷ 100,000 = 1.609 km per mile. Every imperial-to-metric length conversion is built on the 2.54 number.
Common Heights Reference Table
| Feet & inches | Centimeters | Common context |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 11 in | 150 cm | Short adult height |
| 5 ft 0 in | 152.4 cm | — |
| 5 ft 4 in | 162.6 cm | US adult female average |
| 5 ft 6 in | 167.6 cm | — |
| 5 ft 8 in | 172.7 cm | — |
| 5 ft 9 in | 175.3 cm | US adult male average |
| 5 ft 10 in | 177.8 cm | — |
| 5 ft 11 in | 180.3 cm | Often rounded to 180 cm |
| 6 ft 0 in | 182.9 cm | Often rounded to 183 cm |
| 6 ft 2 in | 188 cm | Tall adult |
| 6 ft 4 in | 193 cm | NBA average height |
| 6 ft 7 in | 200.7 cm | 2 meters tall |
Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the inches portion. 5 ft is NOT the same as "I'm 5 foot something" — that's typically 5 ft 6 in to 5 ft 9 in. When converting your own height, include the inches.
Decimal feet vs feet+inches. Some forms expect height as decimal feet (5.75 ft); others want feet and inches separately (5 ft 9 in). They're equivalent: 5.75 ft = 5 ft (0.75 × 12) in = 5 ft 9 in. The converter handles both.
Rounding accumulation. Converting 175 cm → 5 ft 9 in → back to cm gives 175.26 cm, not exactly 175. This is normal rounding behavior — keep one form of the value as the source of truth and convert as needed.
UK Imperial vs US Customary. They use the same foot and inch (since 1959), so feet/inches conversion is identical. The differences are in fluid ounces and stones — not relevant for height.
Why Cm Won the World (Mostly)
The metric system spread by adoption between 1790 and 1900 — France started, then Europe, then most of the world. The base-10 nature makes mental math easier (10 mm = 1 cm, 100 cm = 1 m, 1000 m = 1 km — clean factors of 10 throughout). The US, UK, and Canada adopted the metric system officially but kept feet and inches in everyday use for some categories (height, body measurements, road signs in the US).
For body height specifically, both systems are still in active use. Younger generations in the US increasingly know their height in cm too, especially for international contexts (passports, medical records, online dating profiles).
Related Tools
For converting purely feet to inches (no metric), use the Feet to Inches calculator. For inches to feet (the inverse), see Inches to Feet. For smaller-scale length conversions (drill bits, screen sizes), the Mm to Inches converter handles those. For broader unit conversion across many categories, see the Unit Converter.