How to Convert cm to Feet and Inches (With a Height Chart)
To convert centimetres to feet and inches, divide the height in centimetres by 2.54 to get total inches, then divide by 12: the whole number is the feet and the remainder is the inches. For 175 cm, 175 ÷ 2.54 = 68.9 inches, which is 5 feet 8.9 inches. The reverse is as simple: multiply total inches by 2.54. The chart below covers the heights people look up most.
The conversion step by step
The inch is defined as exactly 2.54 centimetres, so there is no approximation in the factor. Follow three steps:
- Centimetres to inches: divide by 2.54.
- Inches to feet: divide by 12 and keep the whole number as feet.
- Remainder to inches: multiply what is left over by 12, or subtract feet × 12 from the total inches.
Worked examples
Example 1: 170 cm. 170 ÷ 2.54 = 66.93 inches. 66.93 ÷ 12 = 5 remainder 6.93, so the height is 5 feet 6.9 inches, which most people round to 5′ 7″.
Example 2: 183 cm. 183 ÷ 2.54 = 72.05 inches, which is exactly 6 feet and a fraction: 6′ 0.05″, in practice 6′ 0″.
Example 3: 160 cm. 160 ÷ 2.54 = 62.99 inches, or 5′ 3″ to the nearest inch.
A quick mental shortcut is that 30 cm is about one foot (it is 30.48 cm), so 180 cm is six feet minus a small amount: 5′ 10.9″.
Converting feet and inches to centimetres
Turn the height into inches first, then multiply by 2.54:
cm = (feet × 12 + inches) × 2.54
For 5′ 11″: (5 × 12 + 11) = 71 inches, and 71 × 2.54 = 180.34 cm. For 6′ 2″: 74 inches × 2.54 = 187.96 cm. For 5′ 4″: 64 × 2.54 = 162.56 cm.
Common conversions people search for
- 5′ 0″ = 152.4 cm
- 5′ 5″ = 165.1 cm
- 5′ 10″ = 177.8 cm
- 6′ 0″ = 182.88 cm
- 6′ 6″ = 198.12 cm
When a form asks for a whole number of centimetres, round to the nearest one; a half-centimetre either way is within normal measurement error, since a person's height can vary by about a centimetre between morning and evening.
Why the rounding sometimes looks odd
If the inches part rounds up to 12, the height rolls over to the next foot, so 5′ 12″ is written as 6′ 0″. This catches some hand calculations: 182.5 cm is 71.85 inches, which is 5′ 11.85″, not 5′ 12″. Always carry the remainder before rounding.
Where height conversion matters
Height is the input to several calculators, and getting it wrong shifts the result more than most people expect. The BMI formula divides weight by height squared, so a 5 cm error at 170 cm changes BMI by about 6%. Our BMI calculator accepts feet and inches directly, and the ideal weight calculator works from height as well. If you are tracking calories, height feeds the BMR estimate described in how to calculate macros for weight loss.
For other measurements such as kilograms to pounds, miles to kilometres or square feet to square metres, use the unit converter. To work out areas, such as a room's size in square feet from metric measurements, the area calculator shows both systems at once.
Measuring your height accurately
- Stand barefoot with heels, buttocks and shoulders against a flat wall.
- Look straight ahead with your chin level, not tilted up.
- Place a flat object such as a hardcover book on top of your head, against the wall, and mark the underside.
- Measure from the floor to the mark with a hard tape measure.
Measure in the morning if you can. People are slightly taller after lying down and lose a little height through the day.
Frequently asked questions
How many cm is 5 feet 7 inches?
5′ 7″ is 67 inches, and 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm.
How tall is 180 cm in feet?
180 cm is 70.87 inches, which is 5 feet 10.9 inches, usually quoted as 5′ 11″.
How do I convert cm to inches only?
Divide by 2.54. For example 100 cm is 39.37 inches.
Is it exactly 2.54?
Yes. The international inch was fixed at exactly 25.4 millimetres in 1959, so 1 inch is exactly 2.54 cm.