Convert Centimeters to Feet

Unit	Value
Feet [ft]

Understanding Centimeters and Feet

When measuring length or distance, two commonly used units are the **centimeter (cm)** and the **foot (ft)**. They hail from different measurement systems and have distinct historical backgrounds and applications. Understanding these differences is key to appreciating the need for conversion between them.

What is a Centimeter (cm)?

The centimeter is a unit of length in the **International System of Units (SI)**, commonly known as the metric system. The metric system is an internationally recognized decimal system of measurement used by most of the world for scientific, commercial, and general purposes. A centimeter is one hundredth of a meter.

**Origin:** The metric system was developed in France during the late 18th century.
**Definition:** One centimeter is defined as 1/100 of a meter. The meter is precisely defined by the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
**Common Uses:** Centimeters are widely used globally for a variety of measurements, from clothing sizes to small object dimensions and rainfall measurements.

What is a Foot (ft)?

The foot is a unit of length in the **imperial system** and the **U.S. customary system** of measurement. These systems have historical roots in Roman, Carolingian, and English systems of units.

**Origin:** The foot has historically varied in length. Its name suggests its origin from the length of a human foot.
**Definition:** Since 1959, the international foot has been precisely defined as **0.3048 meters**. This agreement standardized the foot in terms of the metric system. Twelve inches make up one foot.
**Common Uses:** Feet are predominantly used in the United States for many everyday measurements, such as human height, room sizes, building dimensions, and altitudes in aviation. While the United Kingdom and Canada have officially adopted the metric system, feet and inches are still commonly used colloquially and in certain sectors like construction and real estate.

Why Convert Between Centimeters and Feet?

The need to convert between centimeters and feet is crucial due to global interactions in trade, technology, science, and culture. Dimensions for products might be in centimeters in one country and need to be understood in feet in another. Similarly, international collaborations in engineering, aviation, and science often require seamless conversion. This converter facilitates such conversions accurately and easily.

Centimeters to Feet Conversion Table

Centimeters [cm]	Feet [ft] (approx.)
1 cm	0.0328084 ft
10 cm	0.328084 ft
20 cm	0.656168 ft
50 cm	1.64042 ft
100 cm	3.28084 ft
200 cm	6.56168 ft
500 cm	16.4042 ft
1000 cm	32.8084 ft
10000 cm	328.084 ft

How to Convert Centimeters to Feet

Converting a measurement from centimeters (cm) to feet (ft) is straightforward. The key conversion factor to remember is based on the definition of the international foot:

**1 foot is exactly 30.48 centimeters.**
Therefore, **1 centimeter is approximately equal to 1/30.48 feet.** (approx. 0.0328084 feet)

To convert any value in centimeters to feet, you simply **divide** your centimeter value by **30.48**.

**Here's the simple formula:**
Feet = Centimeters / 30.48

**Let's look at an example:**
Suppose you have a measurement of **150 centimeters** and you want to know what that is in feet.
Using the formula:
150 cm / 30.48 = 4.9212598425 ft
So, 150 centimeters is approximately equal to 4.92 feet.

If you need to convert from feet back to centimeters, remember that **1 foot is exactly 30.48 centimeters**. So, you would multiply your foot value by 30.48.