cm to Feet and Inches Converter

Height is one of those measurements where New Zealand sits between two systems: we officially use centimetres, but plenty of people still think and talk in feet and inches, and overseas forms, passports, dating profiles and fitness charts often ask for the imperial version, so this converter translates between them instantly in both directions. Type a height in centimetres and it gives you the feet and inches; type feet and inches and it gives you the centimetres. Everything updates as you type. The conversion is built on two exact definitions, which makes the results precise rather than approximate. One inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres, and there are twelve inches in a foot, so one foot is exactly 30.48 centimetres. To go from centimetres to feet and inches, the calculator first works out the total number of inches by dividing by 2.54, then splits that into whole feet and the leftover inches. To go the other way, it turns the feet and inches into a total number of inches and multiplies by 2.54. The reason a dedicated feet-and-inches converter is so handy is that the answer is not a single number but a pair, feet and inches together, which is awkward to do in your head and easy to get wrong at the twelve-inch rollover. Seeing both forms side by side takes the guesswork out of it. That makes the tool genuinely useful for filling in overseas paperwork, comparing your height with figures quoted in feet and inches, following imperial fitness or growth charts, and simply satisfying curiosity about what a height looks like in the other system. Because the factors are exact, you can rely on the conversions. The method and a worked example are explained clearly below.

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Centimetres to feet and inches

5 ft 6.9 in
feet and inches

Feet and inches to centimetres

167.6 cm
centimetres

How it works

One inch is 2.54 cm and one foot is 12 inches, so 30.48 cm. From centimetres, divide by 2.54 for total inches, then divide by 12 for whole feet with the remainder as inches. From feet and inches, multiply the feet by 12, add the inches, then multiply by 2.54 for centimetres.

Worked example

For 170 cm: dividing by 2.54 gives about 66.93 inches. That is 5 whole feet (60 inches) with 6.93 inches left over, so 5 feet 6.9 inches. The other way, 5 feet 6 inches is 66 inches, times 2.54, which is about 167.6 cm.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you convert cm to feet and inches?

Divide the centimetres by 2.54 to get the total inches, then divide by 12 for the whole feet, with the remainder being the inches. For example, 170 cm is about 66.9 inches, which is 5 feet 6.9 inches.

How many cm is 5 foot 6?

5 feet 6 inches is 66 inches in total, and multiplying by 2.54 gives about 167.6 centimetres. To convert any feet and inches, turn it all into inches first, then multiply by 2.54.

What is the exact inch to cm factor?

One inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres, and there are 12 inches in a foot, so one foot is 30.48 centimetres. These are exact definitions, so the conversions are precise.