How this length converter works
Length and distance are measured in two main systems: the metric system (millimeters, centimeters, meters and kilometers) and the imperial / US customary system (inches, feet, yards and miles). To convert accurately between them, this tool turns whatever you type into a single base unit — meters — and then expresses that base value in every other unit. Converting through a base avoids the rounding errors that creep in when you chain conversions one after another.
The exact factors used are: 1 inch = 0.0254 m, 1 foot = 0.3048 m, 1 yard = 0.9144 m, 1 mile = 1609.344 m and 1 nautical mile = 1852 m. The most-searched pairings — centimeters to inches and kilometers to miles — are highlighted at the top so you can read them at a glance.
Common conversions
| From | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 inch (in) | 2.54 centimeters (cm) |
| 1 foot (ft) | 30.48 centimeters (cm) |
| 1 meter (m) | 3.28 feet (ft) |
| 1 mile (mi) | 1.609 kilometers (km) |
| 1 kilometer (km) | 0.621 miles (mi) |
Reference note: factors follow the international yard and pound agreement (1 yard = 0.9144 m, exact). Results are rounded for readability, so very small differences in the last decimal are normal.
Frequently asked questions
- How many cm in an inch?
- One inch equals exactly 2.54 centimeters. So 12 inches (one foot) is 30.48 cm, and 10 inches is 25.4 cm.
- How do I convert km to miles?
- Divide the number of kilometers by 1.609344, or multiply by 0.621371, to get miles. For example, 5 km ÷ 1.609344 ≈ 3.107 miles. This converter does it instantly the moment you type a value.
- How many feet in a meter?
- One meter equals about 3.280839895 feet, usually rounded to 3.281 ft. So a 10 m length is roughly 32.81 ft.
- How many inches in a foot?
- There are exactly 12 inches in one foot. One foot is 0.3048 meters, and one inch is 2.54 centimeters, so a foot is 30.48 cm.
- How do I convert miles to km?
- Multiply the number of miles by 1.609344 to get kilometers. For example, 10 miles × 1.609344 ≈ 16.09 km. One mile equals exactly 1609.344 meters.
- What is a nautical mile?
- A nautical mile equals exactly 1852 meters, which is about 1.151 statute miles or 1.852 kilometers. It is used in marine and air navigation because it corresponds to one minute of latitude.