Convert Centimeter to Foot
Convert centimeters to feet instantly. 1 centimeter = 0.032808399 foot — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Foot to Centimeter converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Centimeter
A centimeter is a metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter (1/100 m). It is one of the most commonly used SI sub-units in daily life, especially for measuring small objects, body dimensions, paper sizes, and short distances.
The centimeter emerged from the French metric system established by the French Academy of Sciences in 1793. The metric system introduced decimal-based prefixes (milli-, centi-, deci-, deca-, hecto-, kilo-) to create proportional sub-units of the meter.
Centimeters are the standard unit for everyday measurement in nearly every country outside the United States. They are used for body height, clothing sizes, rainfall, paper formats (A4 is 21 × 29.7 cm), screen dimensions, and most consumer product specifications.
Developed in France during the late 18th century as part of the metric system designed by the French Academy of Sciences. Formally adopted in France in 1795 and ratified internationally through the Metre Convention signed in Paris in 1875.
Foot
A foot is an Imperial and US customary unit of length equal to 12 inches or exactly 0.3048 meters. It is the most commonly used unit of length in everyday measurement in the United States.
The foot's origin is literally the length of a human foot, used as a measurement standard since antiquity. The English foot was standardized at various points in history; the modern international foot (0.3048 m exactly) was fixed by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Feet are used in the US for body height, building dimensions, room sizes, road sign clearances, aviation altitude (feet above sea level), and most everyday distance estimation. The UK uses feet informally for height despite officially being metric.
Used since antiquity; standardized to 0.3048 m exactly by the International Yard and Pound Agreement of 1959. Aviation worldwide uses feet for altitude despite metric adoption elsewhere.
Centimeter to Foot conversion formula
The relationship between centimeters and feet:
To convert centimeters to feet, multiply the value in centimeters by 0.032808399. To reverse, multiply feet by 30.48.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in feet updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Foot to Centimeter converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert centimeters to feet
- Write down the value in centimeters (cm).
- Multiply that value by the factor 0.032808399.
- The product is the equivalent value in feet (ft).
- To reverse, multiply the foot value by 30.48.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 cm to ft:
1 × 0.032808399 = 0.032808399 ft
Example 2 — Convert 100 cm to ft:
100 × 0.032808399 = 3.280839895 ft
Real-world example — Body height to imperial
A 170-cm-tall person stands 5 ft 7 in. Metric-country professionals applying to US visa programs or sports clubs convert their height from cm to ft for the application forms.
170 cm × 0.032808399 = 5.5774278215 ft
Real-world example — Furniture and room dimensions
A 240-cm wall section equals 7.87 ft. International real-estate listings sometimes quote room dimensions in cm; American buyers convert to feet to compare against their familiar floor-plan units.
240 cm × 0.032808399 = 7.874015748 ft
Real-world example — Ruler and shop-class measurements
A 30-cm school ruler equals 0.984 ft (about 1 foot). The conversion is the bridge that helps American students familiar with rulers in inches to grasp the centimeter scale alongside it.
30 cm × 0.032808399 = 0.9842519685 ft
Centimeter to Foot conversion table
Standard reference values for converting centimeters to feet:
| Centimeter [cm] | Foot [ft] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.000328084 |
| 0.1 | 0.0032808399 |
| 1 | 0.032808399 |
| 2 | 0.0656167979 |
| 3 | 0.0984251969 |
| 4 | 0.1312335958 |
| 5 | 0.1640419948 |
| 10 | 0.3280839895 |
| 20 | 0.656167979 |
| 30 | 0.9842519685 |
| 40 | 1.312335958 |
| 50 | 1.6404199475 |
| 100 | 3.280839895 |
| 500 | 16.4041994751 |
| 1000 | 32.8083989501 |
Frequently asked questions
How many feet is 1 centimeter?
How do I convert centimeters to feet?
How do I convert feet back to centimeters?
How many feet is 100 centimeters?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Centimeter to other length units
Show all Centimeter conversions
Metric / SI (17 units)
Imperial / US Customary (27 units)
Nautical (1 units)
Astronomical (9 units)
Atomic / Physics (6 units)
Typographic (3 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 cm = 0.032808399 ft) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.