Last updated: November 22, 2025
cm height conversion explained
Sports rosters, passports, and medical charts often publish height in centimeters, while everyday US use sticks to feet and inches. This converter keeps both views in sync, including a combined ft+in field so rounding stays consistent.
How the conversion works
Meters anchor the math:
Feet and inches follow the exact inch definition:
The ft+in composite in the UI uses the same inch total under the hood.
Units and conversions
| Unit | Symbol | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| Millimeter | mm | 1 mm = 0.1 cm |
| Centimeter | cm | base here |
| Meter | m | 1 m = 100 cm |
| Foot + inch (composite) | ft+in | built from total inches |
| Foot | ft | 1 ft = 30.48 cm |
| Inch | in | 1 in = 2.54 cm |
Worked examples
-
Athlete listing Height 178 cm:
Result: 5 ft 10.1 in.
-
Clinic record to centimeters A chart shows 5 ft 5 in:
Result: 165.10 cm.
Tips and pitfalls
- Always convert to total inches first when moving between ft+in and metric; it prevents double rounding.
- Keep one decimal place in centimeters for medical use; two decimals if you later convert back to inches.
- For youth sports where shoes add height, subtract shoe sole thickness before converting.