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To convert inches to centimeters, multiply by 2.54. One inch is exactly 2.54 cm, so 6 inches is 15.24 cm and 12 inches (1 foot) is 30.48 cm.
Formula: cm = inches × 2.54
For a quick estimate in your head, multiply by 2.5 and add a little. For example, 10 in × 2.5 = 25 cm, and the exact answer is 25.4 cm.
Inches to cm conversion chart (1–100 inches)
Here is every whole inch from 1 to 100. Centimeters are rounded to two decimals and millimeters to one.
| Inches | Centimeters | Millimeters | Feet and inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.54 | 25.4 | — |
| 2 | 5.08 | 50.8 | — |
| 3 | 7.62 | 76.2 | — |
| 4 | 10.16 | 101.6 | — |
| 5 | 12.70 | 127.0 | — |
| 6 | 15.24 | 152.4 | — |
| 7 | 17.78 | 177.8 | — |
| 8 | 20.32 | 203.2 | — |
| 9 | 22.86 | 228.6 | — |
| 10 | 25.40 | 254.0 | — |
| 11 | 27.94 | 279.4 | — |
| 12 | 30.48 | 304.8 | 1 ft 0 in |
| 13 | 33.02 | 330.2 | 1 ft 1 in |
| 14 | 35.56 | 355.6 | 1 ft 2 in |
| 15 | 38.10 | 381.0 | 1 ft 3 in |
| 16 | 40.64 | 406.4 | 1 ft 4 in |
| 17 | 43.18 | 431.8 | 1 ft 5 in |
| 18 | 45.72 | 457.2 | 1 ft 6 in |
| 19 | 48.26 | 482.6 | 1 ft 7 in |
| 20 | 50.80 | 508.0 | 1 ft 8 in |
| 21 | 53.34 | 533.4 | 1 ft 9 in |
| 22 | 55.88 | 558.8 | 1 ft 10 in |
| 23 | 58.42 | 584.2 | 1 ft 11 in |
| 24 | 60.96 | 609.6 | 2 ft 0 in |
| 25 | 63.50 | 635.0 | 2 ft 1 in |
| 26 | 66.04 | 660.4 | 2 ft 2 in |
| 27 | 68.58 | 685.8 | 2 ft 3 in |
| 28 | 71.12 | 711.2 | 2 ft 4 in |
| 29 | 73.66 | 736.6 | 2 ft 5 in |
| 30 | 76.20 | 762.0 | 2 ft 6 in |
| 31 | 78.74 | 787.4 | 2 ft 7 in |
| 32 | 81.28 | 812.8 | 2 ft 8 in |
| 33 | 83.82 | 838.2 | 2 ft 9 in |
| 34 | 86.36 | 863.6 | 2 ft 10 in |
| 35 | 88.90 | 889.0 | 2 ft 11 in |
| 36 | 91.44 | 914.4 | 3 ft 0 in |
| 37 | 93.98 | 939.8 | 3 ft 1 in |
| 38 | 96.52 | 965.2 | 3 ft 2 in |
| 39 | 99.06 | 990.6 | 3 ft 3 in |
| 40 | 101.60 | 1,016.0 | 3 ft 4 in |
| 41 | 104.14 | 1,041.4 | 3 ft 5 in |
| 42 | 106.68 | 1,066.8 | 3 ft 6 in |
| 43 | 109.22 | 1,092.2 | 3 ft 7 in |
| 44 | 111.76 | 1,117.6 | 3 ft 8 in |
| 45 | 114.30 | 1,143.0 | 3 ft 9 in |
| 46 | 116.84 | 1,168.4 | 3 ft 10 in |
| 47 | 119.38 | 1,193.8 | 3 ft 11 in |
| 48 | 121.92 | 1,219.2 | 4 ft 0 in |
| 49 | 124.46 | 1,244.6 | 4 ft 1 in |
| 50 | 127.00 | 1,270.0 | 4 ft 2 in |
| 51 | 129.54 | 1,295.4 | 4 ft 3 in |
| 52 | 132.08 | 1,320.8 | 4 ft 4 in |
| 53 | 134.62 | 1,346.2 | 4 ft 5 in |
| 54 | 137.16 | 1,371.6 | 4 ft 6 in |
| 55 | 139.70 | 1,397.0 | 4 ft 7 in |
| 56 | 142.24 | 1,422.4 | 4 ft 8 in |
| 57 | 144.78 | 1,447.8 | 4 ft 9 in |
| 58 | 147.32 | 1,473.2 | 4 ft 10 in |
| 59 | 149.86 | 1,498.6 | 4 ft 11 in |
| 60 | 152.40 | 1,524.0 | 5 ft 0 in |
| 61 | 154.94 | 1,549.4 | 5 ft 1 in |
| 62 | 157.48 | 1,574.8 | 5 ft 2 in |
| 63 | 160.02 | 1,600.2 | 5 ft 3 in |
| 64 | 162.56 | 1,625.6 | 5 ft 4 in |
| 65 | 165.10 | 1,651.0 | 5 ft 5 in |
| 66 | 167.64 | 1,676.4 | 5 ft 6 in |
| 67 | 170.18 | 1,701.8 | 5 ft 7 in |
| 68 | 172.72 | 1,727.2 | 5 ft 8 in |
| 69 | 175.26 | 1,752.6 | 5 ft 9 in |
| 70 | 177.80 | 1,778.0 | 5 ft 10 in |
| 71 | 180.34 | 1,803.4 | 5 ft 11 in |
| 72 | 182.88 | 1,828.8 | 6 ft 0 in |
| 73 | 185.42 | 1,854.2 | 6 ft 1 in |
| 74 | 187.96 | 1,879.6 | 6 ft 2 in |
| 75 | 190.50 | 1,905.0 | 6 ft 3 in |
| 76 | 193.04 | 1,930.4 | 6 ft 4 in |
| 77 | 195.58 | 1,955.8 | 6 ft 5 in |
| 78 | 198.12 | 1,981.2 | 6 ft 6 in |
| 79 | 200.66 | 2,006.6 | 6 ft 7 in |
| 80 | 203.20 | 2,032.0 | 6 ft 8 in |
| 81 | 205.74 | 2,057.4 | 6 ft 9 in |
| 82 | 208.28 | 2,082.8 | 6 ft 10 in |
| 83 | 210.82 | 2,108.2 | 6 ft 11 in |
| 84 | 213.36 | 2,133.6 | 7 ft 0 in |
| 85 | 215.90 | 2,159.0 | 7 ft 1 in |
| 86 | 218.44 | 2,184.4 | 7 ft 2 in |
| 87 | 220.98 | 2,209.8 | 7 ft 3 in |
| 88 | 223.52 | 2,235.2 | 7 ft 4 in |
| 89 | 226.06 | 2,260.6 | 7 ft 5 in |
| 90 | 228.60 | 2,286.0 | 7 ft 6 in |
| 91 | 231.14 | 2,311.4 | 7 ft 7 in |
| 92 | 233.68 | 2,336.8 | 7 ft 8 in |
| 93 | 236.22 | 2,362.2 | 7 ft 9 in |
| 94 | 238.76 | 2,387.6 | 7 ft 10 in |
| 95 | 241.30 | 2,413.0 | 7 ft 11 in |
| 96 | 243.84 | 2,438.4 | 8 ft 0 in |
| 97 | 246.38 | 2,463.8 | 8 ft 1 in |
| 98 | 248.92 | 2,489.2 | 8 ft 2 in |
| 99 | 251.46 | 2,514.6 | 8 ft 3 in |
| 100 | 254.00 | 2,540.0 | 8 ft 4 in |
Fractions of an inch to cm and mm
US rulers and tape measures are marked in fractions down to 1/16 inch. Here is what each mark equals in metric.
| Fraction (in) | Decimal (in) | Centimeters | Millimeters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1⁄16 | 0.0625 | 0.16 | 1.6 |
| ⅛ | 0.125 | 0.32 | 3.2 |
| 3⁄16 | 0.1875 | 0.48 | 4.8 |
| ¼ | 0.25 | 0.64 | 6.3 |
| 5⁄16 | 0.3125 | 0.79 | 7.9 |
| ⅜ | 0.375 | 0.95 | 9.5 |
| 7⁄16 | 0.4375 | 1.11 | 11.1 |
| ½ | 0.5 | 1.27 | 12.7 |
| 9⁄16 | 0.5625 | 1.43 | 14.3 |
| ⅝ | 0.625 | 1.59 | 15.9 |
| 11⁄16 | 0.6875 | 1.75 | 17.5 |
| ¾ | 0.75 | 1.91 | 19.1 |
| 13⁄16 | 0.8125 | 2.06 | 20.6 |
| ⅞ | 0.875 | 2.22 | 22.2 |
| 15⁄16 | 0.9375 | 2.38 | 23.8 |
| 1 | 1 | 2.54 | 25.4 |
How to convert inches to cm by hand
Multiply by 2.54. Here are two worked examples, including one that starts in feet and inches.
Example 1: 8 inches to cm
- 8 × 2.54 = 20.32 cm.
- In millimeters, that is 203.2 mm.
Example 2: 5 feet 7 inches to cm
- Turn everything into inches first: 5 × 12 = 60, and 60 + 7 = 67 inches.
- 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm, or about 170.2 cm.
Fractions work the same way. Turn the fraction into a decimal, then multiply: ¾ in = 0.75 × 2.54 = 1.905 cm, or 19.1 mm.
Common sizes in inches and cm
These are the US sizes people most often need in metric, for shipping forms, travel, or shopping from overseas.
Paper and photo sizes
| Item | Size in inches | Size in cm |
|---|---|---|
| US Letter | 8.5 × 11 in | 21.59 × 27.94 cm |
| US Legal | 8.5 × 14 in | 21.59 × 35.56 cm |
| Tabloid (Ledger) | 11 × 17 in | 27.94 × 43.18 cm |
| Index card | 3 × 5 in | 7.62 × 12.70 cm |
| 4×6 photo | 4 × 6 in | 10.16 × 15.24 cm |
| 8×10 photo | 8 × 10 in | 20.32 × 25.40 cm |
TV and monitor screens
The size of a screen is its diagonal, measured corner to corner, not its width.
| Screen | Diagonal in cm | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 13.3 in | 33.78 cm | 13.3-inch laptop |
| 15.6 in | 39.62 cm | 15.6-inch laptop |
| 24 in | 60.96 cm | 24-inch monitor |
| 27 in | 68.58 cm | 27-inch monitor |
| 32 in | 81.28 cm | 32-inch TV |
| 43 in | 109.22 cm | 43-inch TV |
| 55 in | 139.70 cm | 55-inch TV |
| 65 in | 165.10 cm | 65-inch TV |
| 75 in | 190.50 cm | 75-inch TV |
Pizza sizes
| Diameter | In cm |
|---|---|
| 10 in | 25.40 cm |
| 12 in | 30.48 cm |
| 14 in | 35.56 cm |
| 16 in | 40.64 cm |
| 18 in | 45.72 cm |
Waist sizes
The W number on US jeans is the waist in inches.
| US waist size | In cm |
|---|---|
| W28 | 71.12 cm |
| W30 | 76.20 cm |
| W32 | 81.28 cm |
| W34 | 86.36 cm |
| W36 | 91.44 cm |
| W38 | 96.52 cm |
| W40 | 101.60 cm |
Height: feet and inches to cm
| Height | Total inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|---|
| 4′10″ | 58 | 147.32 |
| 4′11″ | 59 | 149.86 |
| 5′0″ | 60 | 152.40 |
| 5′1″ | 61 | 154.94 |
| 5′2″ | 62 | 157.48 |
| 5′3″ | 63 | 160.02 |
| 5′4″ | 64 | 162.56 |
| 5′5″ | 65 | 165.10 |
| 5′6″ | 66 | 167.64 |
| 5′7″ | 67 | 170.18 |
| 5′8″ | 68 | 172.72 |
| 5′9″ | 69 | 175.26 |
| 5′10″ | 70 | 177.80 |
| 5′11″ | 71 | 180.34 |
| 6′0″ | 72 | 182.88 |
| 6′1″ | 73 | 185.42 |
| 6′2″ | 74 | 187.96 |
| 6′3″ | 75 | 190.50 |
| 6′4″ | 76 | 193.04 |
| 6′5″ | 77 | 195.58 |
| 6′6″ | 78 | 198.12 |
More sizes to compare
- What 5 inches looks like: 12.7 cm, from a 5-inch inseam to a 40d nail
- What 6 inches looks like: 15.24 cm, from a 6-inch sub to 6 inches of snow
- 20 cm in inches: 7.87 in, just under 8 inches
- What 8 inches looks like: 20.32 cm, and why an “8-inch” block is 7⅝ inches
- CM to inches converter: type any length in cm, with a 1–100 cm chart
FAQs
1 inch is exactly 2.54 cm, or 25.4 mm.
12 inches is 30.48 cm. That is exactly 1 foot.
6 inches is 15.24 cm.
1/2 inch is 1.27 cm, or 12.7 mm.
Multiply the feet by 12, add the inches, then multiply the total by 2.54. For example, 5 ft 10 in = 70 in = 177.8 cm.
In 1959, the US, the UK, and other countries agreed to define the inch as exactly 25.4 millimeters. The conversion has been exact ever since.
Going the other way? Use the cm to inches converter.