The factor is exact: 0.3048
One foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 metres, agreed internationally in 1959. It is not rounded — multiply feet by 0.3048 and you have the exact answer.
metres = feet × 0.3048, feet = metres × 3.28084
For a quick estimate, 1 ft is about 30 cm and 1 m is a bit longer than 3 ft 3 in. So 10 ft ≈ 3 m (exactly 3.048).
Feet to metres, common values
| Feet | Metres | Feet | Metres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ft | 0.3048 m | 10 ft | 3.048 m |
| 2 ft | 0.6096 m | 15 ft | 4.572 m |
| 3 ft | 0.9144 m | 20 ft | 6.096 m |
| 5 ft | 1.524 m | 50 ft | 15.24 m |
| 6 ft | 1.829 m | 100 ft | 30.48 m |
| 8 ft | 2.438 m | 1000 ft | 304.8 m |
Height in feet and inches
| Feet & inches | Metres | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 5′0″ | 1.524 m | 152.4 cm |
| 5′4″ | 1.626 m | 162.6 cm |
| 5′8″ | 1.727 m | 172.7 cm |
| 5′10″ | 1.778 m | 177.8 cm |
| 6′0″ | 1.829 m | 182.9 cm |
| 6′2″ | 1.880 m | 188.0 cm |
| 6′4″ | 1.930 m | 193.0 cm |
5.5 feet is not 5 ft 5 in. A decimal foot splits into 12 inches, so 0.5 ft is 6 inches — 5.5 ft is 5 ft 6 in.
Two things that trip people up
- Area does not use 0.3048. Square feet convert by the factor squared: 1 sq ft = 0.0929 sq m, not 0.3048.
- The US survey foot. A slightly different foot (1200/3937 m) was used in US land surveys until it was retired in 2023. It differs by about 2 mm per mile — irrelevant for everyday conversions.
Common questions
How many metres is 1 foot?
Exactly 0.3048 metres, or 30.48 cm. This is an exact defined value from the 1959 international agreement, not a rounded approximation.
What is 6 feet in metres?
6 feet is 1.8288 metres, usually written as about 1.83 m or 182.9 cm.
How do I convert feet and inches to metres?
Turn the inches into a fraction of a foot, then multiply by 0.3048. For 5 ft 10 in: 10 divided by 12 is 0.833, so 5.833 feet times 0.3048 is 1.778 metres.
