About the Length Converter
This length converter translates a distance or measurement between nine metric and imperial units: millimeters, centimeters, meters, kilometers, inches, feet, yards, statute miles and nautical miles. Choose the unit you have and the unit you want, and it also lists the value in every other unit so you can copy whichever you need.
It is useful for DIY and construction measurements, reading product dimensions from overseas shops, sewing and crafts, school science work, travel distances and sailing or aviation, where nautical miles are standard.
All conversions go through meters using exact definitions — 1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 foot = 0.3048 m, 1 yard = 0.9144 m, 1 mile = 1,609.344 m and 1 nautical mile = 1,852 m — so there is no cumulative rounding error.
With the default inputs, the converted value is 30.48. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the length converter
- 1Enter the length you want to convert.
- 2Choose the unit it is measured in.
- 3Choose the unit you want the answer in.
- 4Read the converted value, or pick any other unit from the full list below.
Formula and method
Every unit is stored as its exact length in meters. The value is first converted to meters by multiplying by the "from" factor, then divided by the "to" factor. Because the imperial units have been defined in metric terms since 1959, every factor is exact.
Factors used: mm 0.001, cm 0.01, m 1, km 1,000, in 0.0254, ft 0.3048, yd 0.9144, mi 1,609.344 and nautical mile 1,852 meters. Results are rounded only for display.
- value
- The length you enter
- from / to
- Length of one source / target unit in meters
Worked examples
100 feet to meters
100 ft × 0.3048 m = 30.48 m. The same length is 1,200 inches or 33.33 yards.
5 miles to kilometers
5 × 1,609.344 m = 8,046.72 m, which is 8.047 km or 26,400 feet.
72 inches to centimeters
72 in × 2.54 = 182.88 cm — exactly 6 feet.
10 km in nautical miles
10,000 m ÷ 1,852 = 5.40 nautical miles, compared with 6.21 statute miles.
Frequently asked questions
How many centimeters are in an inch?+
Exactly 2.54 centimeters. This has been the legal definition of the inch in the US, UK and Commonwealth since 1959.
How many feet are in a meter?+
One meter is 3.28084 feet, or 3 feet 3.37 inches. Conversely one foot is exactly 0.3048 meters.
How do I convert miles to kilometers?+
Multiply miles by 1.609344. For example, 10 miles is 16.09 km. To go the other way, multiply kilometers by 0.621371.
What is a nautical mile?+
A nautical mile is exactly 1,852 meters (about 1.151 statute miles). It is based on one minute of latitude and is used in marine and air navigation.
How many yards are in a mile?+
There are 1,760 yards, 5,280 feet or 63,360 inches in one statute mile.
Sources