Feet and Inches to CM: Converting Height Correctly
Multiply the feet by 12, add the inches, then multiply by 2.54. Here is why 5 ft 11 in is not 5.11 feet, and a full height chart.
15 June 2026 · 5 min read · Length
Height is the one measurement where people mix two units in a single number, such as 5 ft 7 in. That makes it easy to convert wrongly.
The method
- Convert everything to inches: feet × 12 + inches.
- Multiply by 2.54 to get centimetres.
Example: 5 ft 7 in → 5 × 12 + 7 = 67 in → 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm.
Going the other way
- Divide centimetres by 2.54 to get inches.
- Divide by 12. The whole number is feet and the remainder is inches.
Example: 175 cm → 68.90 in → 5 ft remainder 8.90 in → 5 ft 8.9 in.
The 5.11 feet mistake
A height of 5 ft 11 in is not 5.11 feet. There are 12 inches in a foot, not 10, so 11 inches is 11/12 = 0.917 ft. Correctly, 5 ft 11 in = 5.917 ft = 180.34 cm. Typing "5.11 feet" into a converter gives 155.8 cm, which is almost 25 cm short.
Height chart
| Feet and inches | Inches | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in | 58 | 147.3 |
| 5 ft 0 in | 60 | 152.4 |
| 5 ft 2 in | 62 | 157.5 |
| 5 ft 4 in | 64 | 162.6 |
| 5 ft 6 in | 66 | 167.6 |
| 5 ft 8 in | 68 | 172.7 |
| 5 ft 10 in | 70 | 177.8 |
| 6 ft 0 in | 72 | 182.9 |
| 6 ft 2 in | 74 | 188.0 |
| 6 ft 4 in | 76 | 193.0 |
| 6 ft 6 in | 78 | 198.1 |
Common metric heights
| Centimetres | Feet and inches |
|---|---|
| 150 cm | 4 ft 11.1 in |
| 160 cm | 5 ft 3.0 in |
| 165 cm | 5 ft 5.0 in |
| 170 cm | 5 ft 6.9 in |
| 180 cm | 5 ft 10.9 in |
| 190 cm | 6 ft 2.8 in |
Rounding sensibly
Heights are rarely measured closer than half a centimetre, so one decimal place is plenty. For medical records, forms or visas, use the exact value your measuring device shows rather than a converted estimate.
Related conversions
This article is for general information. Please verify figures against the relevant standard before using them in critical work. About accuracy