Quick answer: To convert centimetres to feet and inches, divide the 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 example, 175 cm = 68.9 inches = 5 feet 8.9 inches, which most people round to 5′9″.
If you just need a quick number, the length converter will do it. But it shows feet as a decimal (175 cm = 5.7415 ft), and forms and doctors usually want feet and inches. This guide shows how to get from one to the other.
Key takeaways
- 1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly, and 1 foot = 12 inches = 30.48 cm.
- Inches = cm ÷ 2.54. Feet = inches ÷ 12, keeping the whole number.
- A decimal like 5.74 ft is not 5 ft 74 in. Multiply the decimal part by 12.
- When inches round up to 12, carry one foot.
- Height in feet and inches is also the form BMI formulas expect.
Why Do Height Conversions Cause Confusion?
Most of the world gives height in centimetres. The United States and a few other places use feet and inches. When someone says “I’m 5'9"” and a form asks for centimetres (or the other way round), you need a quick, reliable conversion.
The tricky part is that feet and inches are two units, not one. A converter that shows 5.74 feet is correct, but it isn’t how people write or say height. Turning the decimal into inches is the step most people get wrong.
The Formula: cm to Feet and Inches
Step 1: Convert centimetres to inches: inches = cm ÷ 2.54
Step 2: Find the feet: feet = whole number of (inches ÷ 12)
Step 3: Find the leftover inches: inches left = inches − (feet × 12)
The factor 2.54 is exact. The inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 cm since the international agreement of 1959, so no rounding is built into the formula itself.
Worked example 1: 175 cm
- 175 ÷ 2.54 = 68.898 inches
- 68.898 ÷ 12 = 5.74, so the whole feet are 5
- 68.898 − (5 × 12) = 68.898 − 60 = 8.898 inches
Answer: 5 feet 8.9 inches, or about 5′9″.
Worked example 2: 160 cm
- 160 ÷ 2.54 = 62.992 inches
- Feet: 5 (60 inches)
- Inches left: 2.992
Answer: 5 feet 3.0 inches (5′3″)
Worked example 3: 183 cm
- 183 ÷ 2.54 = 72.047 inches
- Feet: 6 (72 inches)
- Inches left: 0.047
Answer: 6 feet 0.05 inches, so about 6′0″
How to Turn Decimal Feet Into Feet and Inches
If a converter gives you decimal feet, you only need one extra step.
- Keep the whole number as feet.
- Multiply the decimal part by 12.
Example: 175 cm = 5.7415 ft
- Feet: 5
- Inches: 0.7415 × 12 = 8.9
- Result: 5 ft 8.9 in
Example from the length converter: 180 cm = 5.9055 ft
- Inches: 0.9055 × 12 = 10.87
- Result: 5 ft 10.9 in (about 5′11″)
The common mistake: reading 5.74 ft as “5 feet 74 inches”. The decimal part is a fraction of a foot, not a count of inches. 0.74 of a foot is 0.74 × 12 ≈ 8.9 inches.
Height Chart: cm to Feet and Inches
This chart covers 140 to 200 cm in steps of 5 cm.
| Centimetres | Total inches | Feet and inches (exact) | Rounded to nearest inch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140 | 55.1 | 4 ft 7.1 in | 4′7″ |
| 145 | 57.1 | 4 ft 9.1 in | 4′9″ |
| 150 | 59.1 | 4 ft 11.1 in | 4′11″ |
| 155 | 61.0 | 5 ft 1.0 in | 5′1″ |
| 160 | 63.0 | 5 ft 3.0 in | 5′3″ |
| 165 | 65.0 | 5 ft 5.0 in | 5′5″ |
| 170 | 66.9 | 5 ft 6.9 in | 5′7″ |
| 175 | 68.9 | 5 ft 8.9 in | 5′9″ |
| 180 | 70.9 | 5 ft 10.9 in | 5′11″ |
| 185 | 72.8 | 6 ft 0.8 in | 6′1″ |
| 190 | 74.8 | 6 ft 2.8 in | 6′3″ |
| 195 | 76.8 | 6 ft 4.8 in | 6′5″ |
| 200 | 78.7 | 6 ft 6.7 in | 6′7″ |
How to read it: find your height in centimetres, then use the “exact” column if a form wants decimals, or the “rounded” column for everyday use.
Feet and Inches to cm: The Reverse Conversion
Going the other way is simpler:
cm = (feet × 12 + inches) × 2.54
Example: 5′9″
- Total inches: 5 × 12 + 9 = 69
- 69 × 2.54 = 175.3 cm (exactly 175.26)
| Feet and inches | Total inches | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 4′10″ | 58 | 147.3 |
| 4′11″ | 59 | 149.9 |
| 5′0″ | 60 | 152.4 |
| 5′1″ | 61 | 154.9 |
| 5′2″ | 62 | 157.5 |
| 5′3″ | 63 | 160.0 |
| 5′4″ | 64 | 162.6 |
| 5′5″ | 65 | 165.1 |
| 5′6″ | 66 | 167.6 |
| 5′7″ | 67 | 170.2 |
| 5′8″ | 68 | 172.7 |
| 5′9″ | 69 | 175.3 |
| 5′10″ | 70 | 177.8 |
| 5′11″ | 71 | 180.3 |
| 6′0″ | 72 | 182.9 |
| 6′1″ | 73 | 185.4 |
| 6′2″ | 74 | 188.0 |
| 6′3″ | 75 | 190.5 |
| 6′4″ | 76 | 193.0 |
| 6′5″ | 77 | 195.6 |
| 6′6″ | 78 | 198.1 |
How to Round Correctly (and Avoid “5′12″”)
When you round the inches, you can land on 12. That isn’t a valid height, so carry one foot instead.
Example: 182 cm
- 182 ÷ 2.54 = 71.654 inches
- 71.654 − 60 = 11.654 inches left over, with 5 feet
- Rounded: 5′12″ ✘
- Correct: 6′0″ (add 1 foot, reset inches to 0)
The exact answer, 5 ft 11.65 in, is about a third of an inch short of 6′0″. Keeping one decimal place (5 ft 11.7 in) avoids the problem.
Quick Mental Math
You don’t always need exact numbers. Two ideas help:
- Anchor values: 150 cm ≈ 4′11″, 160 cm ≈ 5′3″, 170 cm ≈ 5′7″, 180 cm ≈ 5′11″. Every extra 2.5 cm adds about 1 inch.
- Divide by 2.5: 175 ÷ 2.5 = 70 inches, which is close to the true 68.9. The error is about 1.5% (about 1 inch at this height), so don’t use it for forms.
A rougher shortcut, “30 cm per foot”, is off by about an inch at 175 cm (175 ÷ 30 = 5.83 ft, or 5′10″, compared with the true 5′8.9″). Fine for a casual estimate, but not for anything official.
Where This Conversion Is Used
- Official forms and ID: many countries use centimetres, while US forms ask for feet and inches.
- Clothing and sports profiles: sizes and athlete heights often appear in both units.
- Medical records: doctors may record height in either unit.
- BMI: the metric formula uses metres, and the imperial formula uses total inches. To use the imperial version, convert your height to inches first. See how to calculate BMI and our BMI calculator.
- Healthy weight by height: the healthy weight by height BMI chart lists heights in both cm and feet and inches.
Common Mistakes When Converting Height
- Reading decimal feet as inches. 5.74 ft is not 5′74″.
- Dividing by 2.54 and stopping. That gives total inches, not feet and inches.
- Forgetting to carry. If inches round to 12, add a foot.
- Using 30 cm per foot. It’s too rough for forms.
- Mixing up the symbols. ′ means feet and ″ means inches.
- Rounding too early. Keep one decimal until the final step.
cm to Feet and Inches: FAQs
How many feet and inches is 175 cm?
175 cm is 5 feet 8.9 inches, which is about 5′9″.
How many feet is 175 cm?
5.7415 feet. To get feet and inches, multiply 0.7415 by 12 to get 8.9 inches.
How do I convert cm to inches?
Divide by 2.54.
How many cm are in a foot?
30.48 cm (12 × 2.54).
How tall is 180 cm in feet and inches?
5 feet 10.9 inches, about 5′11″.
How do I convert 5′9″ to cm?
Convert to inches (69), then multiply by 2.54 to get 175.26 cm.
Is 160 cm the same as 5′3″?
Almost exactly: 160 cm = 5 ft 3.0 in.
Why don’t converters give feet and inches directly?
Many show a single unit at a time. Showing decimal feet is correct, but you need one extra step to get inches.
Convert Any Height in Seconds
You now know how to turn centimetres into feet and inches by hand. For any other length, use the ConversionFree length converter to switch between centimetres, metres, inches, feet and more. You can also browse our unit conversion tools, or visit the ConversionFree for other free tools.
