Centimeters to Feet

About Centimeters and Feet

Centimeters (cm): One hundredth of a meter; the metric system was formalized by the French Academy of Sciences in 1799 and the meter has been refined four times since, most recently in terms of the speed of light. Common uses: Body measurements, paper sizes, small everyday distances, and the universal unit for fabric and sewing-pattern dimensions outside the United States.

Feet (ft): An ancient unit found in virtually every culture, historically based on the human foot; defined as exactly 0.3048 meters by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement. Common uses: Human height in the United States, building heights, room dimensions, aviation altitudes (universally, even in metric countries), and yards/football fields in American sports.

How the conversion works

Length conversions use the SI definition: 1 inch is exactly 0.0254 meters and 1 mile is exactly 1,609.344 meters. The factor above is the exact ratio between centimeter and foot.

The exact relationship is feet = centimeters × 3.28083990e-2, which the calculator at the top of this page applies in both directions. Type into either field and the other updates immediately.

When this conversion matters

Converting between centimeters and feet comes up wherever length measurements move between systems — from one country's conventions to another's, from a scientific reference to a practical specification, or from one industry's working unit to another's. The calculator and reference table above cover the everyday range; for unusual values you can type any number into either field.