Length Converter
Length is one of those everyday measurements that comes in two competing systems, and that is exactly why a quick, reliable converter is so useful. A plan might list a beam in millimetres, a running route in kilometres, a piece of timber in feet, and a sea crossing in nautical miles, yet they all describe the same physical thing: distance. This converter lets you enter a single value, pick the unit you have and the unit you want, and read the answer straight away, along with a full reference table that shows your value expressed in every supported unit at once. It handles millimetres, centimetres, metres, kilometres, inches, feet, yards, statute miles and nautical miles, covering metric and imperial side by side. The method behind it is simple and transparent. Every unit is defined by how many metres it represents, so the tool first multiplies your value by the factor for the unit you are converting from to get a length in metres, then divides by the factor for the unit you want. Because each conversion passes through metres as a common base, there is no need for a separate rule for every possible pairing, and the maths stays exact for the defined relationships, such as an inch being precisely 0.0254 metres or a foot being 0.3048 metres. This makes it handy for tradespeople reading mixed plans, students checking homework, travellers comparing distances, runners and cyclists tracking routes, and anyone who simply wants metric and imperial figures lined up next to each other without reaching for a calculator.
Your value in every unit
| Unit | Value |
|---|
The formula
Each unit has a factor giving its size in metres, the base unit. To convert, multiply the value by the factor of the unit you are converting from, which gives a length in metres, then divide by the factor of the unit you want.
value in metres = value × factor[from]
result = value in metres / factor[to]
Conversion factors
These are the factors used, each expressed as the number of metres in one unit.
| Unit | Metres per unit |
|---|---|
| Millimetres | 0.001 |
| Centimetres | 0.01 |
| Metres | 1 |
| Kilometres | 1000 |
| Inches | 0.0254 |
| Feet | 0.3048 |
| Yards | 0.9144 |
| Miles | 1609.344 |
| Nautical miles | 1852 |
Who this calculator is for
This converter is for tradespeople, students, engineers, travellers, runners, cyclists and anyone who needs to switch a length between metric and imperial units quickly and accurately.
What this calculator assumes
- The value you enter is a number; non-numeric characters are ignored.
- Each unit is defined by its size in metres, the base unit.
- Conversion passes through metres: multiply by the from factor, then divide by the to factor.
- Results are rounded for display.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert between length units?
Multiply your value by the from unit's factor to base metres, then divide by the to unit's factor. For example, to turn metres into feet, divide the value in metres by 0.3048, because one foot is 0.3048 metres.
How many feet are in a metre?
One metre is about 3.28084 feet. This comes from dividing 1 by 0.3048, since a foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 metres.
What is a nautical mile?
A nautical mile is exactly 1,852 metres and is used in marine and air navigation. It is longer than a statute mile, which is 1,609.344 metres.
How many centimetres are in an inch?
One inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres, because an inch is defined as 0.0254 metres. Multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimetres.
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