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Unit converter

Length Converter

Use this free length converter to convert distances accurately between metric, imperial, nautical, and scientific units with feet-and-inches output.

Convert length or distance

Enter any length value to convert immediately across 15 standard units.

Supports decimals, large distances, and negative offsets.
Controls rounding for converted outputs.

Quick feet & inches input

Convert a height or carpentry measurement like 5 ft 10 in directly.

Converted length

1 meter equals

3.28084 ft
Feet & inches (ft′ in″)3 ft 3.37 in
Direct conversion factor1 m = 3.28084 ft
Inverse conversion factor1 ft = 0.3048 m
SI base equivalent (meters)1 m

All length unit equivalents

    Exact international definitions: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 foot = 0.3048 m, 1 mile = 1,609.344 m.

    How length conversion works

    Modern metric and imperial length units are tied to exact international standards. Rather than chaining rounded approximations, this converter transforms your input into the SI base unit (meters) at full floating-point precision and then converts to every target unit.

    • Metric system (SI): Scales by powers of ten—1 kilometer = 1,000 meters, 1 meter = 100 centimeters = 1,000 millimeters.
    • Imperial & US customary: Anchored by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement where 1 inch = 25.4 millimeters exactly, 1 foot = 12 inches (0.3048 m), 1 yard = 3 feet (0.9144 m), and 1 statute mile = 5,280 feet (1,609.344 m).
    • Nautical & scientific units: 1 international nautical mile = 1,852 meters, 1 astronomical unit (AU) = 149,597,870,700 meters, and 1 light-year ≈ 9.4607 × 1015 meters.

    Tips & standard length conversion factors

    • Decimal feet vs. feet and inches: Construction plans often output decimal feet—5.5 ft equals 5 ft 6 in, not 5 ft 5 in. Check the Feet & inches tile whenever reading heights or lumber sizes.
    • Engineering tolerances: In machining and PCB layout, 1 mil (1 thou) is 0.001 in (0.0254 mm or 25.4 µm).
    UnitMeters (SI)Imperial / Customary
    1 Millimeter (mm)0.001 m0.03937 in
    1 Centimeter (cm)0.01 m0.393701 in
    1 Meter (m)1 m3.28084 ft (39.3701 in)
    1 Kilometer (km)1,000 m0.621371 mi
    1 Inch (in)0.0254 m (2.54 cm)1 in
    1 Foot (ft)0.3048 m (30.48 cm)12 in
    1 Yard (yd)0.9144 m3 ft (36 in)
    1 Mile (mi)1,609.344 m5,280 ft
    1 Nautical Mile (nmi)1,852 m6,076.12 ft

    Frequently asked questions

    How many centimeters are in an inch?

    There are exactly 2.54 centimeters (25.4 millimeters) in 1 inch under the international standard used worldwide.

    How do I convert centimeters to feet and inches for height?

    Enter your height in centimeters (for example, 178 cm) and choose centimeters as the starting unit, or use the quick cm → in preset. Look at the "Feet & inches" tile to read the exact compound height (5 ft 10.08 in) alongside decimal feet.

    What is the difference between a statute mile and a nautical mile?

    A land (statute) mile is 5,280 feet or 1,609.344 meters. An international nautical mile is based on Earth's latitude geometry and equals exactly 1,852 meters (about 1.15078 statute miles or 6,076.12 feet).

    Why does 5 feet 10 inches equal 5.8333 feet instead of 5.10 feet?

    Because there are 12 inches in a foot, 10 inches is 10 ÷ 12 = 0.8333 feet. You can use the "Quick feet & inches input" box to convert compound measurements without manual division.

    What is a mil or thou in length measurement?

    A mil (or thou) is 0.001 inches (25.4 micrometers). It is commonly used in manufacturing for plastic film thickness, coatings, wire gauges, and machining tolerances.

    Are US survey feet different from international feet?

    NIST retired the legacy US survey foot at the end of 2022 in favor of the international foot (0.3048 meters exactly), which is the standard used by this converter.

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