Centimetres to feet calculator
Type a height or length in centimetres and get it in decimal feet, feet + inches and metres — with the exact factor and no hidden rounding.
| Breakdown | Value |
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Estimate. The method and sources are on this page — check them against your own case before you act.
How it is calculated
Centimetres and feet measure the same length on two different rulers. The conversion is a single division, but the interesting part is that Indian height forms and English-language tape measures use different conventions — so the page shows both.
feet = cm ÷ 30.48 · feet + inches = whole feet, then (feet − whole feet) × 12 inches
Divide by 30.48
One foot is exactly 30.48 cm because the international inch is defined as 2.54 cm and there are 12 inches in a foot. So 170 cm ÷ 30.48 = 5.5774 ft.
Split the decimal part into inches
Take the whole feet — 5 — and multiply the remaining 0.5774 ft by 12. That gives 6.9 inches, so 170 cm is 5 ft 6.9 in.
Check against a known height
152.4 cm is exactly 5 ft and 182.88 cm is exactly 6 ft. Both are useful anchors: if your result sits between them, it is a 5-something height.
Centimetres to feet — common heights and lengths
| Centimetres | Feet (decimal) | Feet + inches | Inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 3.2808 | 3 ft 3.4 in | 39.4 |
| 120 | 3.9370 | 3 ft 11.2 in | 47.2 |
| 140 | 4.5932 | 4 ft 7.1 in | 55.1 |
| 150 | 4.9213 | 4 ft 11.1 in | 59.1 |
| 152.4 | 5.0000 | 5 ft 0.0 in | 60.0 |
| 160 | 5.2493 | 5 ft 3.0 in | 63.0 |
| 165 | 5.4134 | 5 ft 5.0 in | 65.0 |
| 170 | 5.5774 | 5 ft 6.9 in | 66.9 |
| 175 | 5.7415 | 5 ft 8.9 in | 68.9 |
| 180 | 5.9055 | 5 ft 10.9 in | 70.9 |
| 182.88 | 6.0000 | 6 ft 0.0 in | 72.0 |
| 200 | 6.5617 | 6 ft 6.7 in | 78.7 |
What most pages get wrong
One inch is 2.54 cm by definition
Since the 1959 international yard and pound agreement, the inch is exactly 2.54 cm and a foot is exactly 30.48 cm. Nothing on this page is an approximation.
Decimal feet and feet + inches answer different questions
A survey drawing wants decimal feet; a person describing their height says 5 ft 7 in. The calculator shows both from one conversion so you never convert twice.
Most Indian forms ask for centimetres
Height is recorded in cm on school records, medical notes and many application forms, even though people talk in feet and inches. Convert once and write the cm figure.
Round the display, not the maths
The conversion is carried at full precision and only the feet + inches line is rounded to 0.1 inch. Converting back from a rounded inch figure is where small errors creep in.
Frequently asked questions
How many feet is 170 cm?+
How do I convert centimetres to feet by hand?+
Is 180 cm six feet?+
Why do Indian height forms ask for centimetres?+
What is 1 cm in feet and inches?+
Can I use this for a room or a plot length?+
Which is longer, 1 m or 1 foot?+
Sources, dates and a changelog.
Every number this calculator uses is either an input you control or a value from the sources below. The formula is compiled and tested at build time, so the page cannot ship with a broken calculation.
Sources
This page
- Last verified: 29 October 2026
- Next review: 29 April 2027
- Vertical: Unit Converters
- Build tests: 4 passed
- Changelog: 1 entry
How we handle errors
- Spotted a mistake? Report it — we correct and log it.
- Corrections appear in the changelog below.
- Read the methodology and the disclaimer.