How to use the cm to inches converter
Enter the number of centimeters and the result appears as decimal inches, as feet and inches (the way heights are written in the United States) and as the nearest sixteenth of an inch (the smallest mark on most tape measures). To go the other way, choose Inches → centimeters; the result then also shows meters and millimeters.
The formula
Since 1959 the inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 centimeters, so the conversion is a single division:
inches = centimeters ÷ 2.54, and in the other direction centimeters = inches × 2.54.
Dividing by 2.54 is the same as multiplying by 0.3937, so 1 cm = 0.3937 in and 1 m = 39.37 in. For feet, divide the inches by 12: the whole part is feet and the remainder is inches.
Worked example: a height of 175 cm
- 175 ÷ 2.54 = 68.90 inches.
- 68.90 ÷ 12 = 5 remainder 8.90, so the height is 5 ft 8.9 in — most people would say "five foot nine".
- To the nearest sixteenth: 0.90 × 16 = 14.3, so the closest mark is 14/16, which reduces to 68 7/8 in.
Centimeters to inches, 1 to 30 cm
| cm | Inches | Nearest 1/16 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.3937008 | 3/8 |
| 2 | 0.7874016 | 13/16 |
| 3 | 1.181102 | 1 3/16 |
| 4 | 1.574803 | 1 9/16 |
| 5 | 1.968504 | 1 15/16 |
| 6 | 2.362205 | 2 3/8 |
| 7 | 2.755906 | 2 3/4 |
| 8 | 3.149606 | 3 1/8 |
| 9 | 3.543307 | 3 9/16 |
| 10 | 3.937008 | 3 15/16 |
| 11 | 4.330709 | 4 5/16 |
| 12 | 4.724409 | 4 3/4 |
| 13 | 5.11811 | 5 1/8 |
| 14 | 5.511811 | 5 1/2 |
| 15 | 5.905512 | 5 7/8 |
| 16 | 6.299213 | 6 5/16 |
| 17 | 6.692913 | 6 11/16 |
| 18 | 7.086614 | 7 1/16 |
| 19 | 7.480315 | 7 1/2 |
| 20 | 7.874016 | 7 7/8 |
| 21 | 8.267717 | 8 1/4 |
| 22 | 8.661417 | 8 11/16 |
| 23 | 9.055118 | 9 1/16 |
| 24 | 9.448819 | 9 7/16 |
| 25 | 9.84252 | 9 13/16 |
| 26 | 10.23622 | 10 1/4 |
| 27 | 10.62992 | 10 5/8 |
| 28 | 11.02362 | 11 |
| 29 | 11.41732 | 11 7/16 |
| 30 | 11.81102 | 11 13/16 |
Heights in centimeters, feet and inches
| cm | Inches | Feet and inches |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | 59.06 | 4 ft 11.1 in |
| 155 | 61.02 | 5 ft 1 in |
| 160 | 62.99 | 5 ft 3 in |
| 165 | 64.96 | 5 ft 5 in |
| 170 | 66.93 | 5 ft 6.9 in |
| 175 | 68.9 | 5 ft 8.9 in |
| 180 | 70.87 | 5 ft 10.9 in |
| 185 | 72.83 | 6 ft 0.8 in |
| 190 | 74.8 | 6 ft 2.8 in |
| 195 | 76.77 | 6 ft 4.8 in |
| 200 | 78.74 | 6 ft 6.7 in |
Clothing sizes, driver's licenses and dating profiles in the US use feet and inches; medical charts and most of the rest of the world use centimeters. If you are checking a height against a weight range, the BMI calculator and ideal weight calculator accept either system.
A quick mental estimate
Multiply centimeters by 0.4 and you will be about 1.6% high, which is good enough for a rough idea. 175 cm × 0.4 = 70 inches, against the exact 68.9. For a closer guess, take 0.4 × cm and then subtract 1.5% of it, or simply remember that 2.5 cm is roughly an inch, 30 cm is roughly a foot and a meter is a bit more than a yard (39.4 in against 36 in).
Rounding tips
- Decimal inches to two places (0.01 in = 0.25 mm) are more precise than any tape measure; one decimal is plenty for heights and furniture.
- For woodworking and sewing, use the nearest sixteenth. For machining, the mm to inches converter goes down to 1/64 in and shows the rounding error in millimeters.
- Screen sizes are quoted in inches across the diagonal: a 68.6 cm diagonal is a 27-inch monitor.
Need other units — meters to feet, kilometers to miles? The unit converter handles every length unit at once.
Frequently asked questions
How many inches are in a centimeter?
One centimeter is 0.3937 inches, because an inch is defined as exactly 2.54 cm. Divide any number of centimeters by 2.54 to get inches.
What is 180 cm in feet and inches?
180 cm ÷ 2.54 = 70.87 inches, which is 5 feet 10.87 inches — usually written as 5 ft 11 in.
Is 2.54 exact or rounded?
Exact. The international inch has been defined as precisely 25.4 mm since the 1959 agreement between the United States, the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, so 2.54 is not a rounded figure.
How do I convert cm to feet only?
Divide centimeters by 30.48 (that is 2.54 × 12). 180 cm ÷ 30.48 = 5.906 feet. To express the fraction in inches, multiply 0.906 by 12, which gives 10.87 inches.
Why does the fraction show 7/8 instead of 14/16?
Fractions are reduced to their lowest terms, as on a tape measure: 14/16 = 7/8, 8/16 = 1/2. The value is unchanged.
Last updated: October 9, 2026