Feet to Meters Converter

How to Convert Feet to Meters

Converting feet to meters is essential for international communication, scientific work, and understanding global measurements. The foot is part of the imperial system used in the US and UK, while the meter is the standard unit in the metric system used by most of the world.

The Conversion Factor

One foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters. This exact definition was established in 1959 by international agreement.

Formula: Meters = Feet × 0.3048

For measurements with inches, first convert everything to feet (add inches/12), then multiply by 0.3048.

Step-by-Step Example

1. Simple conversion: 6 feet × 0.3048 = 1.8288 meters
2. With inches: 5'10" = 5 + (10/12) = 5.833 feet × 0.3048 = 1.778 meters
3. Quick estimate: Divide feet by 3.28 for a rough answer

Common Feet to Meters Conversions

• 4 feet = 1.22 meters
• 5 feet = 1.52 meters
• 5 feet 6 inches = 1.68 meters
• 5.5 feet = 1.68 meters
• 6 feet = 1.83 meters
• 6 feet 2 inches = 1.88 meters
• 6.5 feet = 1.98 meters
• 7 feet = 2.13 meters
• 10 feet = 3.05 meters
• 20 feet = 6.10 meters

Why Convert Feet to Meters?

Understanding this conversion is crucial in many situations:

• International travel: Height on some passports and visas
• Sports: Olympic events use meters, not feet
• Science: All scientific measurements use the metric system
• Construction: International projects use metric plans
• Swimming: Pool lengths are often in meters (25m, 50m)

Historical Context

The meter was originally defined in 1791 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole. Today, it's defined by the speed of light: the distance light travels in 1/299,792,458 of a second. The foot, meanwhile, has ancient origins based on the human foot length, standardized only in 1959.

Quick Mental Math

For rough estimates, remember that 1 meter is about 3.28 feet. So to convert feet to meters, divide by 3. For example, 6 feet ÷ 3 = 2 meters (actual: 1.83m). This gets you in the ballpark quickly.

Height Conversion Chart

Here are common human heights in both systems:

• 5'0" = 1.52 m
• 5'4" = 1.63 m
• 5'8" = 1.73 m
• 6'0" = 1.83 m
• 6'4" = 1.93 m

Frequently Asked Questions

How many meters is 6 feet?
6 feet equals 1.8288 meters, often rounded to 1.83 meters.

What is 5.5 feet in meters?
5.5 feet equals 1.6764 meters, approximately 1.68 meters.

Is 1.8 meters tall?
Yes, 1.8 meters (about 5'11") is above average height globally.