Length converter
Centimeters to feet.
Read a centimeter length as decimal feet or as whole feet plus the remaining inches.
The marker shows the fractional part of one inch. This diagram illustrates tick positions; it is not a physical-size ruler.
Conversion formula
feet = centimeters ÷ 30.48
Enter the source length above. The result updates immediately. These calculations use exact length definitions: 1 m = 100 cm = 1000 mm, 1 in = 25.4 mm, and 1 ft = 12 in. Only the displayed answer and fractional ruler mark are rounded. The feet-and-inches output splits a length into whole feet and remaining inches; decimal feet do not encode an inch count.
Worked example
170 cm is approximately 5.577428 ft, or 5 ft 6.9291 in. Rounded to the nearest whole inch, that is 5 ft 7 in. The decimal digits in 5.577428 ft are parts of a foot; they are not an inch count.
Conversion table: cm → ft
Select a source value to load it into the calculator. Decimal results are displayed to at most six places; inch fractions in this table are rounded to 1/16 inch.
| Centimeters (cm) | Feet (ft) | Nearest inch fraction |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ≈ 12 in | |
| 3.28084 | ≈ 39 3/8 in | |
| 3.937008 | ≈ 47 1/4 in | |
| 4.92126 | ≈ 59 1/16 in | |
| 5.249344 | ≈ 63 in | |
| 5.413386 | ≈ 64 15/16 in | |
| 5.577428 | ≈ 66 15/16 in | |
| 5.74147 | ≈ 68 7/8 in | |
| 5.905512 | ≈ 70 7/8 in | |
| 6.069554 | ≈ 72 13/16 in | |
| 6.233596 | ≈ 74 13/16 in | |
| 6.56168 | ≈ 78 3/4 in |
When to use this conversion
Use this for height comparisons, furniture specifications, doorway clearances, and conversations that use feet rather than centimeters. The feet-and-inches output is separated to prevent the common mistake of reading 5.5 ft as 5 ft 5 in. It actually means 5 ft 6 in.
For a clearance or a fitted object, retain the decimal result or original centimeter measurement. A rounded height is often sufficient for a casual description, but rounding is not a safe way to decide whether a cabinet fits through an opening.
Exact conversion versus a ruler reading
The unit relationship is exact, but a measured object may have uncertainty. At 1/16 inch, the maximum rounding difference is half a tick: 1/32 inch, or 0.79375 mm. The calculator shows the actual rounding difference for your value. Use a finer division only if the source measurement and physical instrument support that precision.
Next steps
Numerical conversion needs no display calibration. Comparing a physical object against your screen does. Use the ruler for small objects, a verified paper ruler away from your display, or an appropriate calibrated instrument for safety-critical measurements.
Related converters
Reference: NIST unit conversion factors. Calculations use the international foot, not historical survey-foot units. Fractions are explicitly approximate. NIST ↗