Quick answer
To convert centimetres to feet and inches, divide by 2.54 to get inches, then divide by 12: 175 cm is 68.9 inches, or 5 feet 8.9 inches. The calculator works in both directions and also shows total inches and metres.
An inch is defined as exactly 2.54 centimetres, so the conversion is exact apart from rounding in the display. For the weight range that goes with a height, use the BMI calculator.
Related tools: TV Height Calculator: Screen height from diagonal and aspect ratio. Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator: Waist-to-height ratio. BMI Calculator: Find your Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight status.
How to use the Height Calculator
- Choose convert: Centimeters → feet and inches and Feet and inches → centimeters.
- Optionally, enter height (cm) (between 0 and 300).
- Optionally, enter feet (between 0 and 9).
- Optionally, enter inches (between 0 and 200).
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Convert | Choose one: Centimeters → feet and inches; Feet and inches → centimeters | Starts at Centimeters → feet and inches |
| Height (cm) (optional) | A number | > 0, ≤ 300 |
| Feet (optional) | A number | ≥ 0, ≤ 9 |
| Inches (optional) | A number | ≥ 0, ≤ 200 |
Formula and method
Formula
1 in = 2.54 cm exactly; 12 in = 1 ft
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Exact inch-to-centimeter definition. Informational estimate, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified health professional about your own situation.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Convert = Centimeters → feet and inches; Height (cm) = 175.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 8.9 in |
| Total inches | 68.9 |
| Meters | 1.75 |
Example 2
Inputs: Convert = Centimeters → feet and inches; Height (cm) = 152.4.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 0 in |
| Total inches | 60 |
| Meters | 1.524 |
Example 3
Inputs: Convert = Centimeters → feet and inches; Height (cm) = 188.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 2 in |
| Total inches | 74.02 |
| Meters | 1.88 |
The first line is the headline result (height). Below it the height Calculator lists total inches and meters, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Feet and inches are not decimal feet
5 feet 8 inches is not 5.8 feet: 8 inches is 8 ÷ 12 = 0.667 foot, so the height is 5.67 feet. Writing 5.8 means 5 feet 9.6 inches. Always keep the feet-and-inches form when you convert to centimetres: 5 ft 8 in is 68 inches × 2.54 = 172.7 cm.
Common heights in feet and inches
Every figure in this table comes from running this calculator, so it matches what the form returns.
| Centimetres | Height | Total inches |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | 4 ft 11.1 in | 59.06 |
| 160 | 5 ft 3 in | 62.99 |
| 170 | 5 ft 6.9 in | 66.93 |
| 180 | 5 ft 10.9 in | 70.87 |
| 190 | 6 ft 2.8 in | 74.8 |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Height (cm): left empty shows "Enter a height in centimeters." beside that field and no result.
- Feet: entering "0" shows "Enter a height greater than zero." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Height Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [TV Height Calculator](/technology/tv-height-calculator/) | screen diagonal, aspect ratio width and aspect ratio height | Screen height |
| [Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator](/health/waist-height-ratio/) | waist and height | Waist-to-height ratio |
| [BMI Calculator](/health/bmi-calculator/) | units, weight and height | Your BMI |
| [Body Fat Calculator (U.S. Navy)](/health/body-fat/) | sex, height and neck | Estimated body fat |
| [Ideal Weight Calculator](/health/ideal-weight-calculator/) | units, sex and height | Ideal weight (Devine) |
Background: body measurements and screening
Body-measurement ratios are screening tools, not diagnoses. BMI ignores body composition and fat distribution, and reviews find waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios are useful additions but not clearly better than BMI or waist circumference alone. Where the tape goes matters, so measure at the same sites each time.
Some sources quote a waist-to-hip ratio above 0.8 for women and 0.95 for men as a marker of increased metabolic risk; treat that as a screening flag, and talk to a clinician about what your own numbers mean.
Assumptions and limitations
- Fields for the other direction are ignored
- Not a diagnosis
This calculator gives general information based on published formulas. It is not medical advice, and it cannot account for your health history. Talk to a qualified clinician about decisions that affect your health.
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for height (cm) and feet to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
How many centimetres are in a foot?
One foot is 12 inches, and one inch is exactly 2.54 cm, so a foot is 30.48 cm.
What does the Height Calculator calculate?
Convert height between centimeters and feet-and-inches. It returns Height, Total inches and Meters.
What formula does the Height Calculator use?
1 in = 2.54 cm exactly; 12 in = 1 ft. Exact inch-to-centimeter definition.
What do I need to enter in the height Calculator?
You enter Convert. Optional: Height (cm), Feet and Inches.
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated. Fields for the other direction are ignored.
What are the limits of this calculator?
Fields for the other direction are ignored. Not a diagnosis.
What does the “Convert” option change?
It sets how the height is worked out. The choices are Centimeters → feet and inches and Feet and inches → centimeters.
What is an example of a height result?
With convert Centimeters → feet and inches and height (cm) 175, the height is 5 ft 8.9 in.
Where does the method come from?
The method follows: International Yard and Pound Agreement (1959): 1 inch = 25.4 mm exactly.
Can I rely on this calculator for a decision?
This calculator gives general information based on published formulas. It is not medical advice, and it cannot account for your health history. Talk to a qualified clinician about decisions that affect your health. For this calculator in particular: Fields for the other direction are ignored.
Related calculators
- TV Height Calculator — Screen height from diagonal and aspect ratio.
- Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator — Waist-to-height ratio.
- BMI Calculator — Find your Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight status.
- Body Fat Calculator (U.S. Navy) — Estimate body fat percentage from tape measurements (U.S. Navy method).
- Ideal Weight Calculator — Ideal body weight by four published formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller, Hamwi).
- Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator — Waist-to-hip ratio and WHO risk threshold.
Sources
- International Yard and Pound Agreement (1959): 1 inch = 25.4 mm exactly
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.