Length Converter
Convert between metric and imperial length units instantly — mm, cm, m, km, inches, feet, yards and miles. Type any value to update every field at once.
- 1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly. So 1 foot = 30.48 cm and 5 ft 9 in = 175.26 cm.
- 1 metre = 3.28084 feet (3 ft 3.37 in). Multiply metres by 3.281 for feet, or feet by 0.3048 for metres.
- 1 mile = 1.609344 km. Multiply miles by ~1.6 for km; km by 0.621371 for miles.
- A marathon (26.2 miles) = 42.195 km; a half marathon is 21.1 km and a 10K is 6.21 miles.
- Metric scales in tens (mm→cm→m→km); imperial does not (12 in = 1 ft, 3 ft = 1 yd, 1,760 yd = 1 mile).
How do you convert inches to centimetres and back?
Multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimetres, and divide centimetres by 2.54 to get inches — the inch is defined as exactly 2.54 cm, so there is no rounding involved. That means 12 inches (1 foot) is exactly 30.48 cm, and 100 cm (1 metre) is 39.37 inches. The converter above does this instantly for every unit at once the moment you type a value.
| Inches | cm | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 2.54 cm | Screen & print sizing |
| 12 inches | 30.48 cm | 1 foot |
| 69 inches | 175.26 cm | 5 ft 9 in height |
What is 5 foot 9 in centimetres?
5 foot 9 inches is 175.26 cm, or about 1.75 metres. Convert a height in feet and inches by turning it fully into inches first — 5 ft 9 in is (5 × 12) + 9 = 69 inches — then multiply by 2.54: 69 × 2.54 = 175.26 cm. UK forms and medical records usually want height in centimetres, which is why this is one of the most searched height conversions.
How many feet are in a metre?
1 metre is 3.28084 feet, which is 3 feet and about 3.37 inches. To convert metres to feet multiply by 3.281; to convert feet to metres multiply by 0.3048. So a 10-metre climbing wall is 32.81 ft, and a 6-foot person is 1.83 m. Because a metre is a little over three feet, metric heights always read as a smaller number than the same height in feet.
How many kilometres are in a mile?
1 mile is exactly 1.609344 kilometres, and 1 kilometre is 0.621371 miles. For quick mental maths, multiply miles by 1.6 to get km, or km by 0.62 to get miles. The UK keeps miles on road signs even though it is officially metric, so this is the conversion most drivers and runners reach for. To convert speeds rather than distances — mph, km/h, knots or m/s — use the speed converter.
| Distance | Kilometres | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | 1.609 km | 1 mile |
| 10 miles | 16.09 km | 10 miles |
| 10K run | 10 km | 6.21 miles |
| Marathon | 42.195 km | 26.2 miles |
For a named worked example you can check against the tool: type 10 into the Miles field and the converter returns 16093.4 m, 16.0934 km, 633600 inches, 52800 ft and 17600 yards — the same figures used throughout this page, rounded.
Why does the UK mix metric and imperial length?
The UK officially adopted the metric system but never fully retired imperial units for everyday distance and height, so both co-exist. Road signs, speed limits and personal height stay in miles and feet and inches, while science, construction and most product packaging use metric. That is why you might buy a 2-metre length of timber, drive 30 miles to collect it, and describe yourself as 5 ft 10. To convert weights the same way — kilograms, stones and pounds — use the weight converter.
Length conversion FAQs
1 inch equals exactly 2.54 centimetres — the defined conversion, with no rounding. So 12 inches (1 foot) = 30.48 cm and 6 feet = 182.88 cm (roughly 183 cm). To go from cm to inches, divide by 2.54.
5 foot 9 inches is 175.26 cm. There are 69 inches in 5 ft 9 in (5 × 12 + 9), and 69 × 2.54 = 175.26 cm, or about 1.75 metres — the usual way UK heights are converted for forms and records.
1 metre equals approximately 3.28084 feet, or 3 feet 3.37 inches. To convert metres to feet, multiply by 3.281; to convert feet to metres, multiply by 0.3048. So 10 metres = 32.81 feet.
1 mile equals exactly 1.609344 kilometres. A quick mental approximation is to multiply miles by 1.6, so 10 miles ≈ 16 km and a marathon (26.2 miles) ≈ 42.2 km. To convert km to miles, multiply by 0.621371.
Metric units (mm, cm, m, km) scale in powers of 10 — each is 10× the previous. Imperial units use less regular steps: 12 inches = 1 foot, 3 feet = 1 yard, 1,760 yards = 1 mile. The UK officially uses metric but keeps miles for road distances and feet and inches for height.
A marathon is 26.2 miles, which is 42.195 kilometres (42,195 metres). The odd distance was fixed at the 1908 London Olympics. A half marathon is 13.1 miles or 21.1 km, and a 10K is 6.21 miles.
Convert mph, km/h, m/s, knots and Mach — the speed companion to this distance tool.
Convert kilograms, stones, pounds and ounces, with a stone-and-pounds readout.
Length, weight, temperature, volume, speed and more — every converter in one place.