How do you convert centimetres to metres?

To convert centimetres to metres, divide the number of centimetres by 100. This is because there are exactly 100 centimetres in one metre. For example, 175 cm divided by 100 equals 1.75 m. The formula is: m = cm / 100.

How do you convert metres to centimetres?

To convert metres to centimetres, multiply the number of metres by 100. For example, 1.75 m multiplied by 100 equals 175 cm. The formula is: cm = m x 100.

What is 100 cm in metres?

100 cm equals exactly 1 metre. This is the defining relationship between the two units: one metre is subdivided into 100 centimetres. So 200 cm = 2 m, 50 cm = 0.5 m, and 1 cm = 0.01 m.

Centimetres to Metres Converter

This calculator converts between centimetres and metres, the two units New Zealanders use most often for everyday measurements, from height and furniture dimensions to room sizes and building specifications. Enter a value in centimetres and it instantly returns the equivalent in metres, or enter a value in metres and it works out the equivalent in centimetres, using the exact SI relationship of 1 metre = 100 centimetres. You can type any figure directly into either field, or pick from a list of common presets, such as 175 cm (average New Zealand male height), 183 cm (6 feet), or 240 cm (a typical NZ ceiling height), and the matching value updates automatically in the other field. Alongside the metre and centimetre figures, the calculator also shows the equivalent in millimetres, which is useful when you are working from building plans or trade specifications that use mm rather than cm or m. Because the conversion factor is fixed and exact, rather than an approximation, there is no rounding error to worry about; every result is precise to as many decimal places as you enter. A reference table below the calculator lists common cm to m conversions for quick lookup without needing to type anything in, and a worked example shows the full division and multiplication steps so you can check your own working by hand.

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Exact conversion SI base unit definition: 1 m = 100 cm (International System of Units).

Metres = Centimetres / 100 | Centimetres = Metres × 100

Centimetres to Metres

Centimetres (cm)

Common values

Metres to Centimetres

Metres (m)

Common values

Conversion Result

Centimetres

175

Metres
1.75
m

Millimetres

1750

Common cm to m Reference Table

Centimetres (cm)	Metres (m)	Millimetres (mm)	Notes
1 cm	0.01 m	10 mm	1 centimetre
10 cm	0.1 m	100 mm	Width of a hand
30 cm	0.3 m	300 mm	Approximately 1 foot
50 cm	0.5 m	500 mm	Half a metre
100 cm	1.0 m	1000 mm	Exactly 1 metre
150 cm	1.5 m	1500 mm	Typical door handle height
175 cm	1.75 m	1750 mm	Average NZ male height
183 cm	1.83 m	1830 mm	6 feet exactly
200 cm	2.0 m	2000 mm	Standard ceiling height
240 cm	2.4 m	2400 mm	Common NZ ceiling height
500 cm	5.0 m	5000 mm	Length of a car
1000 cm	10.0 m	10000 mm	10 metres

How to Convert Centimetres to Metres

The centimetre and the metre are both units of length in the International System of Units (SI). The relationship between them is exact: one metre equals exactly 100 centimetres. To convert centimetres to metres, divide by 100. To convert metres to centimetres, multiply by 100.

The formula is:

Metres = Centimetres / 100
Centimetres = Metres x 100

Worked Example

Convert 175 cm to metres:

Start with the value in centimetres: 175 cm
Divide by 100: 175 / 100 = 1.75
Result: 175 cm = 1.75 m

To verify, multiply back: 1.75 m x 100 = 175 cm. The conversion is correct.

Why Divide by 100?

The prefix "centi-" means one hundredth. So a centimetre is one hundredth of a metre. When you move from a smaller unit (cm) to a larger unit (m), you divide. When you move from a larger unit (m) to a smaller unit (cm), you multiply. This is the same logic used across all SI unit conversions (millimetres to metres, metres to kilometres, etc.).

Centimetres, Metres, and Millimetres

Unit	Symbol	Relative to 1 metre
Kilometre	km	1000 m
Metre	m	1 m (base unit)
Centimetre	cm	0.01 m (1/100 of a metre)
Millimetre	mm	0.001 m (1/1000 of a metre)

In everyday use in New Zealand, heights are commonly given in centimetres (for example, a person who is 175 cm tall), while construction and building specifications are usually given in millimetres. Metres are used for room dimensions, land distances, and lengths over about 1 m.

Related Calculators

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km to Miles Converter: convert kilometres to miles.

Method: Standard SI unit conversion. 1 m = 100 cm exactly, per the International System of Units (SI), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), 9th edition of the SI brochure.

This converter uses the exact SI definition: 1 metre = 100 centimetres. No rounding or approximation is applied to the conversion factor.