Height Converter - cm, Meters, Feet and Inches
Enter your height in any unit, centimeters, meters, feet and inches, or total inches, and this converter gives you all the equivalents instantly. Switch the input mode to match wherever your measurement started and see the conversions update in real time.
Formula
Worked example
To convert 5 ft 9 in to centimeters: (5 × 30.48) + (9 × 2.54) = 152.40 + 22.86 = 175.26 cm. To reverse, divide 175.26 by 2.54 to get 69 total inches, then 69 ÷ 12 = 5 remainder 9, so 5 ft 9 in.
How to convert height between centimeters and feet and inches
One inch equals exactly 2.54 centimeters, a definition fixed by international agreement in 1959. One foot equals 12 inches, so one foot equals 30.48 centimeters. To go from feet and inches to centimeters, multiply the feet by 30.48, multiply the extra inches by 2.54, and add the two products together. For example, 5 ft 9 in becomes (5 × 30.48) + (9 × 2.54) = 152.40 + 22.86 = 175.26 cm. To go the other way, divide the centimeter figure by 2.54 to get total inches, then divide by 12 to find the feet part, and the remainder is the inches.
When you need the conversion and which unit to use
Medical records, passports, and official identity documents in most of the world use centimeters or meters. US and UK driving licenses, sports rosters, clothing sizes, and everyday conversation in those countries typically use feet and inches. Knowing both is useful when filling in forms abroad, comparing international sports statistics, or shopping for clothing from overseas retailers. This calculator gives you all four common formats, centimeters, meters, total inches, and feet-plus-inches, at once so you can copy whichever is needed.
Metric versus imperial height: a brief history
The inch was historically defined as the width of a thumb, standardised over centuries before being fixed to 2.54 cm exactly in 1959 through the International Yard and Pound Agreement. The centimeter comes from the metric system introduced during the French Revolution, designed so that 1 cm is one hundredth of a meter, and the meter was originally defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole. Today almost every country uses the metric system for official purposes, but the US, Liberia, and Myanmar still use customary or imperial units in everyday life, making height conversion a genuinely common need.
Tips for measuring your height accurately
Stand without shoes on a hard, flat floor with your back against a wall and your heels touching the baseboard. Keep your chin level (ear-eye line parallel to the floor) and have someone else place a flat book on top of your head and mark the wall. Measure from the floor to that mark with a tape measure. Height varies slightly during the day, typically by 1-2 cm, as the spinal discs compress under the weight of your body, so the most consistent readings come first thing in the morning.
Common height conversions
| Feet & Inches | Total Inches | Centimeters | Meters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 6 in | 54 | 137.16 | 1.3716 |
| 4 ft 8 in | 56 | 142.24 | 1.4224 |
| 4 ft 10 in | 58 | 147.32 | 1.4732 |
| 5 ft 0 in | 60 | 152.40 | 1.5240 |
| 5 ft 2 in | 62 | 157.48 | 1.5748 |
| 5 ft 4 in | 64 | 162.56 | 1.6256 |
| 5 ft 6 in | 66 | 167.64 | 1.6764 |
| 5 ft 7 in | 67 | 170.18 | 1.7018 |
| 5 ft 8 in | 68 | 172.72 | 1.7272 |
| 5 ft 9 in | 69 | 175.26 | 1.7526 |
| 5 ft 10 in | 70 | 177.80 | 1.7780 |
| 5 ft 11 in | 71 | 180.34 | 1.8034 |
| 6 ft 0 in | 72 | 182.88 | 1.8288 |
| 6 ft 2 in | 74 | 187.96 | 1.8796 |
| 6 ft 4 in | 76 | 193.04 | 1.9304 |
| 6 ft 6 in | 78 | 198.12 | 1.9812 |
| 6 ft 8 in | 80 | 203.20 | 2.0320 |
| 7 ft 0 in | 84 | 213.36 | 2.1336 |
A quick-reference chart covering typical adult heights from 4 ft 6 in to 7 ft 0 in.
Frequently asked questions
How many centimeters are in a foot?
Exactly 30.48 centimeters. This comes from the definition of an inch as exactly 2.54 cm multiplied by 12 inches per foot: 12 × 2.54 = 30.48.
How do I convert 5 foot 7 inches to centimeters?
5 ft 7 in = (5 × 30.48) + (7 × 2.54) = 152.40 + 17.78 = 170.18 cm. You can confirm this with the calculator above by selecting "Feet + Inches", entering 5 and 7, and reading the centimeters output.
What is 170 cm in feet and inches?
170 cm ÷ 2.54 = 66.929 total inches. 66 ÷ 12 = 5 feet with 6.929 inches remaining, so 170 cm is approximately 5 ft 6.93 in, or roughly 5 ft 7 in when rounded to the nearest inch.
Why does 1 inch equal 2.54 cm exactly?
The value was fixed by international treaty in 1959 (the International Yard and Pound Agreement), signed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. Before that, slightly different national inches existed; the treaty unified them at exactly 25.4 mm to align with the metric system.
Is height measured differently in different countries?
Yes. Most countries use centimeters or meters for official height records such as passports, medical files, and identity cards. The United States, the United Kingdom (in everyday speech), and a few other countries still commonly use feet and inches for personal height. When filling in forms or comparing international statistics, always confirm which unit is expected.
How accurate is this height converter?
The converter uses the exact definition of 1 inch = 2.54 cm and performs arithmetic in floating-point, which for typical human heights (1-3 m) introduces negligible rounding error well below 0.01 mm. Output is displayed to 2 decimal places for centimeters and 4 decimal places for meters, which is more than sufficient for any practical purpose.