1 cm is equal to how many feet

Gone are the days when unscientific methods were used for measuring objects and distance. Today, you can not only compare but also convert measurement units to determine which one is on the heavier side. All you need to do is make use of Square Yards’ online calculator and you get an answer within seconds. However, to get into the depth of these measurement units, you need to understand their history, definition and relationship. In this article, we have covered two measuring units i.e., centimetre and feet. Scroll down to read more about the two measuring units and how to convert centimeters to feet.    

Centimeters (CM) Definition

A centimeter is scientifically defined as the distance travelled in a vacuum by light within 1/299,792,458 seconds. It is a length measurement unit in the metric system and is abbreviated as “cm”. If you wish to get an idea about the thickness of a centimeter, you can take a look at a standard pencil which is 1 cm thick. 

Current Use of Centimeter

Other than measuring length or distance, centimeter is used to measure rainfall through a rain gauge. In the CGS (centimetre-gram-seconds) system, a centimeter is used when gauging the capacitance wherein 1 cm is equivalent to 1.113x10-12 farads.

History of Centimeter

The word “Centimeter” is derived from and is a mixture of the French word “Mètre” and the Latin word “Centum’. It is a part of the first metric system that was established in 1799 during the French Revolution. Since the old measurement system became impractical for trading, a new metric system was introduced to replace it. That is when the meter came into existence, followed by a centimeter. Except for the USA, a centimeter is spelt as ‘centimetre’ in countries across the globe.  

Feet Definition

Under the British Imperial and US Customary system, a foot is defined as a length measurement unit. One foot is equivalent to 30.48 cm and the abbreviation used for the foot is ‘ft’. 

History of Feet

The foot has been used as a measurement unit in varied local systems including the English, Roman, Greek and Chinese. Back then, however, it varied in value from country to country or  city to city. It was only in 1959 that a foot was defined exactly as 0.3048 meters under the International Yard and Pound Agreement.

Current Use of Feet

Feet is generally used for measuring height, altitude and elevation. In the UK and the USA, people also measure their height in feet and describe their height in feet such as “I am 6 feet tall”. Even the road signs in both these nations are in feet and inches. 

Relationship between Centimeters and Feet

Feet and centimeter are two distinct measurement units. They are used for completely different purposes but also share a relationship with one another. Understanding this relationship is a tad bit complex, especially when you are dealing with these measurement units for the first time. So, to make things easier, we’ve listed their relationship below:

1 foot = 30.48 centimeters

1 centimeter = 0.0328084 feet 

Keeping these values in mind will help you convert cm to feet easily. 

Difference Between Centimeters to Feet

Now that you have an idea about the relationship between centimeters and feet, let’s discuss their differences. They are both used as length measurement units but have some major differences. A few of them are as follows:

Centimeters to Feet Conversion Chart

Go through the conversion chart below to get a better understanding of centimeters to feet conversion. 

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Convert Cm to Feet with Formula and Illustrations

To convert centimeters to feet, you can either make use of an online calculator or apply a formula manually. The first method will help you attain the result in mere seconds while the second method will take some time but will also give you the exact conversion value. 

The formula for converting cm to feet is feet = cm ÷ 30.48

This means, if you wish to derive the value of a particular figure in feet, you will have to divide the centimeter figure by 30.48 to get a result. 

We have solved a few centimeters to feet conversion problems below. Take a look at these and then try and use the formula on your own. 

Example 1: Convert 168 cm into feet

Applying the above-mentioned formula, divide 168 cm by 30.48 to get a solution.

= 168 ÷ 30.48

= 5.5118 

Thus, 168 cm when converted into feet gives you 5.5118 feet. 

Example 2: Convert 157.5 cm into feet

Applying the above-mentioned formula, divide 152 cm by 30.48 to get a solution.

= 157.5 ÷ 30.48

=  5.1673 

Thus, 157.5 cm when converted into feet gives you 5.1673 feet

Example 3: Convert 174 cm into feet

Applying the above-mentioned formula, divide 174 cm by 30.48 to get a solution.

= 174 ÷ 30.48

= 5.7087 

Thus, 174cm when converted into feet gives you 5.7087 feet 

Example 4:Convert 183 cm into feet

Applying the above-mentioned formula, divide 183 cm by 30.48 to get a solution.

= 183 ÷ 30.48

= 6.0039 

Thus, 183 cm when converted into feet gives you 6.0039 feet. 

Example 5: Convert 120 cm to feet

Applying the above-mentioned formula, divide 120 cm by 30.48 to get a solution.

= 120 ÷ 30.48

= 3.937 feet

Thus, 120 cm when converted into feet gives you 3.937 feet

Example 6: Convert 60 cm into feet

Applying the above-mentioned formula, divide 60 cm by 30.48 to get a solution.

= 60 ÷ 30.48

= 1.9685 

Thus, 60 cm when converted into feet gives you 1.9685 feet

Common Conversions from Centimeters to Feet

Since both centimeters and feet are used for measuring height, people are often found converting their height from centimeters to feet. The most common figures that they search for, include:

In Conclusion

Both centimeter and feet are two of the most widely used measurement units. A centimetre is majorly used when measuring smaller lengths and a foot is used for measuring human height, distance and larger areas. It is also used to denote plot and room size areas. For converting centimeter to feet, you can use the Square Yards calculator. Simply enter the cm value that you wish to convert and get an instant result on our calculator. 

Keep an eye on our blog section if you’re looking for more such conversion blogs. Let us know if you have any questions or take a look at the FAQ section below.

FAQ's about CM to Feet Convert