The Length Converter converts distance and length between millimetres, centimetres, metres, kilometres, inches, feet, yards, miles and nautical miles. India mixes systems all the time: height in feet and inches, cloth in metres, TV screens in inches, road distances in kilometres. This page also includes a height chart from cm to feet and inches and the conversion formulas you need for exams.
How to use the length converter
- Enter the value.
- Choose the From unit (for example centimetres) and the To unit (for example inches).
- Press Convert, or use Swap units to reverse the direction.
Key length conversion factors
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | Centimetres | 2.54 (exact) |
| Centimetres | Inches | 0.3937 |
| Feet | Metres | 0.3048 (exact) |
| Metres | Feet | 3.2808 |
| Yards | Metres | 0.9144 |
| Miles | Kilometres | 1.609344 |
| Kilometres | Miles | 0.6214 |
| Nautical miles | Kilometres | 1.852 (exact) |
Since 1959, the international inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 cm. Every imperial-to-metric conversion follows from that: 1 ft = 12 in = 30.48 cm, 1 yd = 3 ft = 91.44 cm, 1 mile = 1,760 yd = 1,609.344 m.
Height chart: cm to feet and inches
| cm | Feet & inches | cm | Feet & inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 4′ 11″ | 170 cm | 5′ 7″ |
| 152 cm | 5′ 0″ | 173 cm | 5′ 8″ |
| 155 cm | 5′ 1″ | 175 cm | 5′ 9″ |
| 157 cm | 5′ 2″ | 178 cm | 5′ 10″ |
| 160 cm | 5′ 3″ | 180 cm | 5′ 11″ |
| 163 cm | 5′ 4″ | 183 cm | 6′ 0″ |
| 165 cm | 5′ 5″ | 185 cm | 6′ 1″ |
| 168 cm | 5′ 6″ | 188 cm | 6′ 2″ |
Converting height step by step
cm → ft/in: 172 cm ÷ 2.54 = 67.72 in. 67.72 ÷ 12 = 5 ft remainder 7.72 in, so 5′ 7.7″ (about 5′ 8″).
ft/in → cm: 5′ 4″ = 5 × 12 + 4 = 64 in. 64 × 2.54 = 162.6 cm.
Everyday length references
- TV and phone screens are measured diagonally in inches. A 55″ TV is about 140 cm diagonally. A 6.7″ phone is about 17 cm.
- Running: 5K = 3.11 miles, 10K = 6.21 miles, half marathon = 21.0975 km (13.1 mi), marathon = 42.195 km (26.2 mi).
- Cricket pitch: 22 yards = 20.12 m between the stumps.
- Cloth: shops in India often still sell by the metre, and older tailors may use the gaj (yard, 0.914 m).
- Aviation and shipping use nautical miles (1 nmi = 1.852 km, based on one minute of latitude) and knots for speed.
Metric prefixes
| Prefix | Factor | Example |
|---|---|---|
| kilo- (k) | 1,000 | 1 km = 1,000 m |
| centi- (c) | 1/100 | 1 cm = 0.01 m |
| milli- (m) | 1/1,000 | 1 mm = 0.001 m |
| micro- (µ) | 1/1,000,000 | Human hair ≈ 70 µm |
| nano- (n) | 1/1,000,000,000 | Chip process nodes, e.g. 3 nm |
Exam tip
When converting area or volume, square or cube the length factor. 1 m = 100 cm, so 1 m² = 10,000 cm² and 1 m³ = 1,000,000 cm³. Students often forget this. For area units such as acres and square feet, use the Unit Converter.
Frequently asked questions
How many centimetres are in an inch?
Exactly 2.54 centimetres. To convert inches to cm, multiply by 2.54. To convert cm to inches, divide by 2.54.
What is 5 feet 6 inches in cm?
5 × 12 + 6 = 66 inches. 66 × 2.54 = 167.64 cm, or about 168 cm.
How many feet are in a metre?
1 metre = 3.2808 feet, or 3 feet 3.37 inches.
How do I convert km to miles?
Multiply kilometres by 0.6214. For example, 100 km ≈ 62.1 miles. To go from miles to km, multiply by 1.609.
What is 170 cm in feet?
170 ÷ 30.48 = 5.577 ft, which is 5 feet 6.9 inches, about 5′ 7″.