Where inches-to-cm matters
Inches are still the everyday unit for US heights, screens, furniture and clothing, while most of the world works in centimeters. You will need the conversion when buying from US sites, reading a US specification or filling in a form that wants metric.
- • Use in For: US heights in feet and inches, TV and monitor sizes, US clothing and furniture sizes, Screen and device specifications, US paper and frame sizes
- • Use cm For: Metric heights on international forms, Tape measure and shop measurements, Furniture planning in centimeters, Photo and print orders, Engineering and school work in metric
Rule of Thumb: One inch is 2.54 cm, so 10 inches is 25.4 cm and 40 inches is just over 100 cm.
Inches to Centimeters Conversion Formula — How to Convert in to cm
centimeters = inches × 2.54
Quick mental estimate: multiply by 2.5. For 10 in that gives 25 cm (exact: 25.4).
Step-by-Step in to cm Conversion Examples:
- •A 12 inch ruler:12 × 2.54 =30.48 cm
- •A 27 inch monitor:27 × 2.54 =68.58 cm
- •A 55 inch TV:55 × 2.54 =139.7 cm
- •A person 5 ft 10 in tall (70 inches):70 × 2.54 =177.8 cm
Why the Inches to Centimeters Conversion Works & Common in to cm Converter Mistakes to Avoid
The inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 centimeters since the 1959 international yard and pound agreement, so the factor is exact and not a rounded estimate. A foot is 12 inches, which makes it exactly 30.48 cm, and a yard is 36 inches, or 91.44 cm.
The Common in to cm Converter Mistake: Forgetting to turn feet and inches into inches first. A height of 5 ft 10 in is 5 × 12 + 10 = 70 inches, and only then do you multiply by 2.54 to get 177.8 cm. Multiplying 5.10 by 2.54 gives the wrong answer. The other slip is dividing by 2.54 when you should multiply: centimeters are smaller, so the number must grow.
Inches to Centimeters Real-World Size Comparison Table
These are the sizes people look up most: heights in feet and inches, popular TV and monitor sizes, and a few everyday objects. The rows show the total inches first.
| Inches (in) | Centimeters (cm) | Real-World Size Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 2.54 cm | Exactly one inch |
| 12 in | 30.48 cm | One foot |
| 27 in | 68.58 cm | A common desktop monitor size |
| 36 in | 91.44 cm | One yard |
| 55 in | 139.7 cm | A popular TV size |
| 60 in | 152.4 cm | 5 ft 0 in |
| 64 in | 162.56 cm | 5 ft 4 in |
| 68 in | 172.72 cm | 5 ft 8 in |
| 70 in | 177.8 cm | 5 ft 10 in |
| 72 in | 182.88 cm | Exactly 6 ft |
| 75 in | 190.5 cm | 6 ft 3 in |
in to cm Converter in Spreadsheets — Spreadsheet Shortcut (Excel & Google Sheets)
With inches in cell A1, =A1*2.54 returns centimeters, and =CONVERT(A1,"in","cm") does the same. If you have feet in A1 and inches in B1, use =(A1*12+B1)*2.54 to convert a height such as 5 ft 10 in in one step.
Inches to Centimeters Conversion — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert inches to cm?
Multiply the inches by 2.54. For example, 12 × 2.54 = 30.48 cm.
How many cm are in an inch?
Exactly 2.54 cm. This is a definition rather than an approximation.
How do I convert feet and inches to cm?
Turn the height into inches first (feet × 12 + inches), then multiply by 2.54. For 5 ft 10 in, 70 × 2.54 = 177.8 cm.
How many cm is 6 feet?
6 feet is 72 inches, which is exactly 182.88 cm.
How many cm is a 27 inch monitor?
27 inches is 68.58 cm. That figure is the diagonal measurement, not the width.
How many cm is a 55 inch TV?
55 inches is 139.7 cm, measured diagonally across the screen.
How many cm is 5 ft 4 in?
5 ft 4 in is 64 inches, which is 162.56 cm.
Is it inches to cm or inches to centimetres?
Both spellings are correct. Centimetres is used in the UK, Ireland, Australia and most of the world, and centimeters in the US.
in to cm Quick-Reference Conversion Table
The conversions that go hand in hand with inches to cm, including feet and the reverse.
| To convert | Operation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| in → cm | × 2.54 | 12 in → 30.48 cm |
| cm → in | ÷ 2.54 | 30 cm → 11.81 in |
| ft → cm | × 30.48 | 6 ft → 182.88 cm |
| yd → cm | × 91.44 | 1 yd → 91.44 cm |