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Inches and centimetres come from two different measurement systems — the imperial inch and the metric centimetre — and converting between them is a daily need for screen sizes, clothing, height, paper and DIY. The relationship is fixed and exact: one inch is precisely 2.54 centimetres.
Enter a value and pick the direction, and the conversion is done instantly.
How is it calculated?
The conversion
1 inch = 2.54 cm (exactly, by definition). So: - Inches → cm: multiply by 2.54. - cm → inches: divide by 2.54.
10 inches = 25.4 cm; 180 cm = 70.87 inches.
Where it's used
- Screens: TV and monitor sizes are quoted in inches (a 55-inch TV is 139.7 cm diagonally).
- Height: converting a height between systems (5 ft 11 in = 180.3 cm).
- Clothing and paper: waist sizes, A-series vs letter dimensions.
- DIY and crafts: matching tools and materials specified in different units.
Feet and inches
Remember 1 foot = 12 inches, so a height like 5 ft 11 in is 71 inches = 71 × 2.54 = 180.3 cm. Convert the whole thing to inches first, then to centimetres.
Worked example
A 10-inch tablet screen measures 10 × 2.54 = 25.4 cm diagonally. Going the other way, someone 180 cm tall is 180 ÷ 2.54 = 70.87 inches, which is 5 feet 10.9 inches (since 5 ft = 60 in, the remaining 10.87 inches). Because the relationship is exact — one inch is defined as 2.54 cm — these conversions carry no rounding beyond the decimals you keep.
FAQ
How many centimetres is one inch?+
Exactly 2.54 cm — this is a definition, not an approximation. To convert inches to centimetres multiply by 2.54; to convert centimetres to inches divide by 2.54.
How do I convert cm to inches?+
Divide the centimetre value by 2.54. For example 180 cm ÷ 2.54 = 70.87 inches. Just select the "Centimetres → Inches" direction in the tool.
How do I convert a height in feet and inches to cm?+
Convert the whole height to inches first (1 foot = 12 inches), then multiply by 2.54. 5 ft 11 in = 71 inches = 180.3 cm.
What size is a 55-inch TV in cm?+
The 55 inches is the diagonal: 55 × 2.54 = 139.7 cm. Screen sizes are always quoted as the diagonal, not the width.
Is the inch-to-cm conversion exact?+
Yes — since 1959 the inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 cm, so there is no rounding in the relationship itself, only in the decimal places you choose to keep.
How many inches is 1 metre?+
1 metre = 100 cm = 100 ÷ 2.54 = 39.37 inches. That is just over 3 feet 3 inches.