Meters to Feet Converter
Convert any length in meters, centimeters, millimeters, or kilometers to feet and inches using the exact factor 1 m = 3.28084 ft. Results appear as decimal feet, total inches, whole feet and inches, and fractional inches. Use reverse mode to convert feet back to meters.
Formula
Worked example
1.8 m x 3.28084 = 5.9055 ft. The 0.9055 ft remainder x 12 = 10.87 in, so 1.8 m = 5 ft 10 7/8 in (to the nearest 1/16 in).
How to convert meters to feet
Multiply the length in meters by 3.28084 to get the equivalent in feet. This factor is exact, not an approximation, because the international foot is defined as precisely 0.3048 meters, and 1 divided by 0.3048 = 3.28084. So a 2-meter distance becomes 2 x 3.28084 = 6.5617 feet. To express the answer as feet and inches instead of decimal feet, keep the whole-number part as feet and multiply the leftover decimal portion by 12 to convert it into inches. For example, 0.5617 feet x 12 = 6.74 inches, giving 6 ft 6.74 in.
Converting other metric units to feet
You are not limited to meters. If you have centimeters, divide by 100 first to get meters, then apply the 3.28084 factor. For millimeters, divide by 1000. For kilometers, multiply by 1000 to reach meters. The calculator handles this automatically when you switch the unit dropdown to cm, mm, or km. For example, 170 cm becomes 1.70 m, which is 1.70 x 3.28084 = 5.5774 ft (5 ft 6 7/8 in).
Why the factor is 3.28084
The meter and the foot belong to two different measurement systems: the metric (SI) system and the imperial or US customary system. Since 1959 an international agreement has fixed one yard at exactly 0.9144 meters, making one foot exactly 0.3048 meters. Inverting that relationship gives 3.280839895... feet per meter, which rounds to 3.28084 for everyday use. Because the definition is exact, the only error in a converted value comes from how many decimal places you round to.
Reading feet and inches, including fractional inches
People often want a height or a room dimension in feet and inches rather than decimal feet, since 5.9055 feet is hard to picture. The whole number gives the feet; the fractional part (between 0 and 1) represents a portion of a foot. Multiplying that fraction by 12 gives decimal inches. For US construction and woodworking, inches are further rounded to the nearest 1/16 of an inch, the finest graduation on a standard tape measure. The calculator shows this fractional form alongside the decimal result. So 1.8 m = 5 ft 10.87 in, which rounds to 5 ft 10 7/8 in.
How to convert feet and inches back to meters
To reverse the conversion, switch the Direction selector to "Feet to meters." Enter the whole feet and remaining inches separately. The calculator adds the inches as a decimal fraction of a foot (inches divided by 12) to get total decimal feet, then divides by 3.28084 to reach meters. It also shows centimeters and millimeters so you can verify against a metric tape. For example, 5 ft 11 in = 5.9167 ft divided by 3.28084 = 1.8034 m.
Meters to feet conversion chart
| Meters | Feet (decimal) | Feet and inches | Fractional form |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.01 m | 0.0328 ft | 0 ft 0.39 in | 0 ft 3/8 in |
| 0.1 m | 0.3281 ft | 0 ft 3.94 in | 0 ft 3 3/4 in |
| 0.3 m | 0.9843 ft | 0 ft 11.81 in | 0 ft 11 3/4 in |
| 0.5 m | 1.6404 ft | 1 ft 7.68 in | 1 ft 7 3/4 in |
| 1 m | 3.2808 ft | 3 ft 3.37 in | 3 ft 3 3/8 in |
| 1.5 m | 4.9213 ft | 4 ft 11.06 in | 4 ft 11 in |
| 1.6 m | 5.2493 ft | 5 ft 2.99 in | 5 ft 3 in |
| 1.7 m | 5.5774 ft | 5 ft 6.93 in | 5 ft 6 7/8 in |
| 1.8 m | 5.9055 ft | 5 ft 10.87 in | 5 ft 10 7/8 in |
| 2 m | 6.5617 ft | 6 ft 6.74 in | 6 ft 6 3/4 in |
| 3 m | 9.8425 ft | 9 ft 10.11 in | 9 ft 10 1/8 in |
| 5 m | 16.4042 ft | 16 ft 4.85 in | 16 ft 4 7/8 in |
| 10 m | 32.8084 ft | 32 ft 9.70 in | 32 ft 9 3/4 in |
| 20 m | 65.6168 ft | 65 ft 7.40 in | 65 ft 7 3/8 in |
| 50 m | 164.042 ft | 164 ft 0.50 in | 164 ft 1/2 in |
| 100 m | 328.084 ft | 328 ft 1.01 in | 328 ft 1 in |
Common metric distances converted to decimal feet and feet-and-inches. Fractional inches are rounded to the nearest quarter inch.
Frequently asked questions
How many feet are in a meter?
One meter equals exactly 3.28084 feet (or more precisely 3.280839895... feet). This comes from the exact international definition that one foot is 0.3048 meters, so dividing 1 by 0.3048 gives 3.28084 feet per meter.
How do I convert meters to feet and inches?
Multiply meters by 3.28084 to get decimal feet. Keep the whole number as feet, then multiply the remaining decimal by 12 to get inches. For example, 1.8 m x 3.28084 = 5.9055 ft = 5 ft 10.87 in, or roughly 5 ft 10 7/8 in to the nearest 1/16 inch.
How do I convert centimeters to feet and inches?
Divide centimeters by 100 to get meters, then multiply by 3.28084. For example, 170 cm = 1.70 m x 3.28084 = 5.577 ft = 5 ft 6 15/16 in. The calculator handles this automatically when you choose "cm" from the unit dropdown.
Is 3.28084 the exact conversion factor?
It is exact to five decimal places. The full value is 3.280839895... feet per meter (a repeating decimal), derived from the precise definition that one foot is exactly 0.3048 meters. For most practical purposes 3.28084 introduces error only in the fifth or sixth decimal place.
How do I convert feet back to meters?
Divide decimal feet by 3.28084, or equivalently multiply by 0.3048. For feet-and-inches, first convert the inches to a decimal fraction of a foot (inches divided by 12), add to the whole feet, then divide by 3.28084. The reverse-mode selector in this calculator does all that automatically.
What does fractional inches mean?
Fractional inches express the inches portion as a fraction whose denominator is a power of 2: halves, quarters, eighths, or sixteenths. A standard US tape measure has graduations down to 1/16 inch, so tradespeople and engineers specify dimensions like 10 7/8 in rather than 10.875 in. This calculator shows the fractional form rounded to the nearest 1/16 in alongside the decimal result.