Inch to Centimeter Converter

Metric units (meters, centimeters, millimeters) are based on powers of 10, making them easier to convert. Imperial units (feet, inches, yards, miles) are based on historical measurements and have more complex relationships. Metric is used worldwide except in the US, Myanmar, and Liberia.

To convert feet to meters, multiply by 0.3048. For inches to meters, multiply by 0.0254. For example: 6 feet = 6 × 0.3048 = 1.83 meters. To convert 6'2" (74 inches), multiply 74 × 0.0254 = 1.88 meters.

A nautical mile (1,852 meters) is based on the Earth's circumference and equals one minute of latitude. It's used in marine and aviation navigation because it relates directly to the Earth's geometry, making it more practical for navigation than statute miles (1,609 meters).

The foot was divided into 12 inches because 12 has many divisors (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12), making it easy to create fractions like 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, and 1/6 of a foot. This was practical for trade and construction before decimal systems became common.

Precision depends on your needs. For everyday measurements, millimeters or 1/16 inches are usually sufficient. For scientific work, micrometers or nanometers might be needed. Construction typically uses millimeters (metric) or 1/16" (imperial). Our converter provides up to 10 decimal places for maximum precision.

The US Survey Foot (1200/3937 meters ≈ 0.3048006 m) differs slightly from the International Foot (exactly 0.3048 m). This small difference (2 parts per million) matters in large-scale surveying and mapping but is negligible for everyday use.

Use indirect methods: triangulation (measuring angles from known points), laser rangefinders, or photogrammetry. For very large distances, GPS coordinates can give you precise measurements. For heights, you can use trigonometry with angles and known distances.