The centimetre is one hundredth of a metre, the everyday unit for body height, clothing sizes and school rulers. One inch is exactly 2.54 cm.
How to use the Centimeter Converter
- Pick the unit you are starting from in the From menu and type your value.
- Pick the unit you want in the To menu. The heading changes to match – for example “Centimeters to Millimeters Converter”.
- The most common length units are shown below at the same time, so you can compare them at a glance.
- Type into any result to convert backwards, then use Copy results – the copied text starts with the heading for your chosen units.
Results update as you type. Everything is calculated in your browser.
How it works
Every length unit is defined by an exact factor relative to the metre (the base unit). The calculator first turns the value you type into metres, then turns that into the unit you picked in the “To” menu and into each of the common units below it. This two-step method means any unit can be converted to any other – 27 units are available in each menu – and you can type into any field, including a result, to work in the other direction. Changing a unit menu keeps the quantity the same and just re-expresses it, and the page heading and copied results follow your choice.
How to convert length units
- Choose the unit you have in the From menu and type the value, for example 1 cm.
- Choose the unit you want in the To menu, for example millimetres. The page heading changes to “Centimeters to Millimeters Converter”.
- The calculator multiplies by the metre factor of the “from” unit and divides by the factor of the “to” unit: 1 cm × 0.01 ÷ 0.001 = 10 mm.
1 centimetre in common units
| Unit | Value |
|---|---|
| Millimetres (mm) | 10 |
| Metres (m) | 0.01 |
| Inches (in) | 0.39370079 |
| Feet (ft) | 0.032808399 |
| Kilometres (km) | 1 × 10-5 |
Centimetres conversion table
| Centimetres | mm | m | in | ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 0.01 | 0.39370079 | 0.032808399 |
| 5 | 50 | 0.05 | 1.9685039 | 0.16404199 |
| 10 | 100 | 0.1 | 3.9370079 | 0.32808399 |
| 30 | 300 | 0.3 | 11.811024 | 0.98425197 |
| 50 | 500 | 0.5 | 19.685039 | 1.6404199 |
| 100 | 1,000 | 1 | 39.370079 | 3.2808399 |
| 150 | 1,500 | 1.5 | 59.055118 | 4.9212598 |
| 180 | 1,800 | 1.8 | 70.866142 | 5.9055118 |
What is a centimetre?
A centimetre is one hundredth of a metre (10 mm). It is the everyday metric unit for body height, clothing, furniture and school rulers.
What is a millimetre?
A millimetre is one thousandth of a metre. Engineering drawings, construction plans, rainfall, screws, bolts and jewellery are all dimensioned in millimetres.
What is a metre?
The metre is the SI base unit of length. Since 1983 it has been defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second, which ties it to a fundamental constant rather than a physical bar of metal.
Common mistakes to avoid
Mixing the international foot (0.3048 m) with the old u.s. survey foot, confusing nautical and statute miles, and writing decimal feet such as 5.5 ft as “5 ft 5 in” (it is 5 ft 6 in).
Formula
1 cm = 10 mm1 cm = 0.01 m1 cm = 0.39370079 in1 cm = 0.032808399 ft1 cm = 1 × 10^-5 kmWorked example
Inputs — From: 1 cm.
Results — To = 10 mm; Metres = 0.01 m; Inches = 0.39370079 in; Feet = 0.0328084 ft; Kilometres = 0.00001 km.
Frequently asked questions
How many inches is 1 cm?
About 0.3937 in.
How many mm in a cm?
10.
How many cm is 6 feet?
182.88 cm.
How do I change the units?
Pick any unit in the From and To menus. The value is converted in place, and the heading changes to show your conversion, for example “Centimeters to Millimeters Converter”.
Can I type into any field?
Yes. Every field is editable, so you can start from whichever unit you have.
How many units can I convert between?
27 length units, from the everyday to the specialised.
Which units are exact?
All factors here are exact by definition except astronomical and similar reference values, which use internationally agreed constants.
What formula does the Centimeter Converter use?
1 cm = 10 mm.