Last updated: November 18, 2025
Height in inches explained
Medical records, ADA signage, and roster databases often store height as a single number of inches. This calculator converts feet+inches or metric entries into total inches (and back), using the exact definitions of the inch and foot so you can avoid rounding drift.
How the conversion works
We first normalize whatever you enter into meters, then divide by the inch constant () to get the total inch count:
To express the same number as feet+inches, divide by 12 to get the whole feet and keep the remainder as inches.
Units and conversions
| Unit | Relation |
|---|---|
| Inch | |
| Foot | |
| Meter | |
| Centimeter |
Worked examples
- Roster entry
Convert 6 ft 2 in into total inches.
Result: store 74 inches in the database.
- Medical chart
A patient height is 165 cm. Express it in inches and then feet+inches.
Result: record 65 inches (5′5″) after rounding.
Tips and pitfalls
- Keep centimeter precision while taking measurements, then convert to inches; the reverse direction loses precision quickly if you round early.
- Many EHR systems expect inches only—double check units before importing centimeters to avoid a 2.54× error.
- For ADA signage, display both inches and centimeters to accommodate international visitors; the calculator shows both simultaneously.
- International foot (0.3048 m) is now the standard across the U.S.; don’t mix in legacy survey-foot values.