Convert Feet (ft) to Centimeters (cm)

What Is a Foot?

The foot (ft) is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems equal to exactly 12 inches or 0.3048 meters. It is used in the US, UK, and Canada for measuring height, room dimensions, and construction materials.

What Is a Centimeter?

The centimeter (cm) is a metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter (0.01 m) or 10 millimeters. It is the standard unit for body measurements, clothing sizes, and small object dimensions in most countries worldwide.

Feet to Centimeters Formula

cm = ft × 30.48 exact

One foot equals exactly 30.48 centimeters, by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.

Worked Example

Convert 5.5 feet to centimeters:

1. Multiply: 5.5 × 30.48 = 167.64 cm

Quick Estimation

Multiply feet by 30 for a quick estimate (within 1.6%). For better accuracy: multiply by 30, then add half of the feet value. Example: 6 ft × 30 = 180, plus 6 ÷ 2 = 3, total 183 cm (actual: 182.88). Quick anchors: 5 ft = 152.4 cm, 6 ft = 182.88 cm.

Common Use Cases

• Height conversion: US/UK height in feet to cm for medical records, international IDs, and online profiles.
• Interior design: Room dimensions from US floor plans (feet) to metric furniture catalogues (cm).
• Clothing: US sizing charts use inches/feet while international brands use cm.
• Aviation: Altitude is reported in feet worldwide but aircraft specs often list dimensions in cm/m.