How to Convert FT to CM

The U.S. measures height in feet and inches.

Most of the world uses the International System of Units (SI,) a convenient measurement system based on multiples of ten, originally derived from the metric system. Only three countries--the United States, Liberia and Myanmar (Burma)--do not officially employ these units. Before converting measurements, you must first know the conversion factor between the two units. For example, the universal measurement for a person's height is centimeters, but the U.S. uses feet and inches instead. To convert feet to centimeters, use the conversion factor of 30.48 centimeters per foot.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator

Instructions

1. Determine if the value to be converted includes feet and inches. If the value is only feet, skip the next step. However, if the measurement is 5 feet 6 inches, convert the inches before continuing.

2. Divide the number of inches by 12 inches per foot. In the example from the previous step, 6 inches divided by 12 would equal 0.5 foot.

3. Multiply the number of feet by 30.48 centimeters per foot. Use a calculator to do the math.

4. Re-calculate the conversion to double-check the number.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do the math on paper, check your work with a calculator.

Resources

• Metric System Described on Wikipedia