Feet (ft) and Inches (in) to Centimeters (cm) Conversion Calculator and Table

Feet (ft), inches (in), and centimeters (cm) are all units of length, making their conversions simple and straightforward; one just has to remember the actual relation of these units.

Over time, the length of an inch and a foot varied, but today, it is standardized in relation to meters and centimeters.

Published: February 6, 2024.

To convert feet (ft) and inches (in) to centimeters (cm), write the values in feet and inches and click 'Calculate':

To convert centimeters to feet and inches, feel free to check our Centimeters (cm) to Feet (ft) and Inches (in) Conversion Calculator and Table article.

How To Convert Feet (ft) and Inches (in) to Centimeters (cm)

Over time, the exact length of the inch and foot varied, but today, it is standardized and is defined as exactly:

1 inch (in) = 2.54 cm → 1 cm = 1/2.54 inch = 0.393700787 inches = ~0.3937 inches

1 foot (ft) = 30.48 cm → 1 cm = 1/30.48 ft = ~0.03280839 feet

Thus, if You want to convert 7 feet 11 inches to centimeters, You can write:

L(ft, in) = 7'11" = 7 * 30.48 cm + 11 * 2.54 cm = 213.36 cm + 27.94 cm = 241.3 cm

or, one can first convert everything to inches and then to centimeters:

L(ft, in) = 7'11" = 7 * 12 inches * 11 inches = 84 inches + 11 inches = 95 inches = 95 * 2.54 cm = 241.3 cm

Feet (ft) and Inches (in) to Centimeters (cm) Conversion Table

The following chart contains the most common feet (ft) and inches (in) values converted to centimeters (cm):

If You wish to convert values that are not in the table, please use the feet and inches to centimeters conversion calculator.

Brief History of Feet, Inches, and Centimeters

The measurement units of feet, inches, and centimeters have long histories that intertwine with the development of human civilization, reflecting changes in societies, technologies, and the drive for standardization in measurements.

Understanding these units provides insight into both the past and the principles underlying modern measurement systems.

The Foot

The foot as a unit of measurement can be traced back to ancient civilizations, with each culture adopting its own standard. Historically, the length of a foot was often based on the human body, typically the actual length of a king's foot or an average male's foot. This practice made the foot a variable measure across time and geography.

In England, the foot was standardized during the reign of King Henry I in the 12th century, who decreed that the yard should be considered as the distance from the tip of his nose to the end of his thumb, and a foot, naturally, was a third of that.

However, it wasn't until the International Yard Agreement of 1959 that the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Commonwealth countries formally agreed upon a common definition of the yard as exactly 0.9144 meters, thereby standardizing the foot as precisely 0.3048 meters (12 inches).

The Inch

The inch has origins as early as the foot, with its length traditionally defined as the width of a man's thumb. Like the foot, the inch varied significantly across different cultures and periods.

The modern inch, as used in the United States and the British Commonwealth, was standardized in 1959 alongside the foot and yard, defined as exactly 25.4 millimeters.

Centimeters and the Metric System

The story of the centimeter begins with the development of the metric system in France during the late 18th century. The French Academy of Sciences was tasked with developing a new system of measurements that was logical and based on natural constants.

The result was the metric system, which introduced the meter as a unit of length.

The centimeter, as a subunit of the meter, was derived as one-hundredth of a meter. This system of decimal-based units was revolutionary, facilitating easy conversion and calculation.

The metric system, including the centimeter, was adopted by the French Revolutionary government in 1795 and has since become the standard system of measurement used globally, known today as the International System of Units (SI).

Standardization and Relationship to Meters and Centimeters

The journey towards standardization of measurement units has been a long one, marked by the transition from the diverse and localized systems of the ancient world to the nearly universal adoption of the metric system.

The agreement on the yard and the meter in 1959 was a significant step in this direction, linking the traditional British (imperial) units to the metric system and facilitating international trade and scientific cooperation.

The relationship between the imperial units and the metric system is now fixed, with the foot defined in terms of meters (0.3048m or 30.48 cm) and the inch defined as exactly 25.4 millimeters (or 2.54 cm).

This standardization allows for precise conversions and a common understanding of measurements across different systems, which is crucial in our globalized world.