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A form asks for your height in centimetres. A matrimony profile wants it in feet and inches. A passport, a medical record, a school sports sheet and a clothing size chart all pick differently. The conversion itself is one fixed number, 2.54, so there is no reason to guess. The only real trouble is how the answer is written down, and that is where small mistakes creep in.
The method: cm to feet and inches
- 1Divide by 2.54170 ÷ 2.54 = 66.93 total inches.
- 2Count whole feet66.93 ÷ 12 = 5 with a remainder, so 5 feet.
- 3Find the leftover inches66.93 − (5 × 12) = 6.93 inches.
- 4Write it down170 cm = 5 ft 6.9 in. Round to 5 ft 7 in only if the form allows whole inches.
The reverse is just as short: multiply (feet × 12 + inches) by 2.54. For 5 ft 7 in, that is 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm.
All four describe the same person. Only the way of writing changes.
Height chart: feet and inches to cm
| Feet and inches | Centimetres | Feet and inches | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 8 in | 142.2 cm | 5 ft 6 in | 167.6 cm |
| 4 ft 10 in | 147.3 cm | 5 ft 7 in | 170.2 cm |
| 5 ft 0 in | 152.4 cm | 5 ft 8 in | 172.7 cm |
| 5 ft 1 in | 154.9 cm | 5 ft 9 in | 175.3 cm |
| 5 ft 2 in | 157.5 cm | 5 ft 10 in | 177.8 cm |
| 5 ft 3 in | 160.0 cm | 5 ft 11 in | 180.3 cm |
| 5 ft 4 in | 162.6 cm | 6 ft 0 in | 182.9 cm |
| 5 ft 5 in | 165.1 cm | 6 ft 2 in | 188.0 cm |
Each inch adds 2.54 cm, and each full foot adds 30.48 cm. Rounded to one decimal place.
And the other way: cm to feet and inches
| Centimetres | Feet and inches | Centimetres | Feet and inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 145 cm | 4 ft 9.1 in | 175 cm | 5 ft 8.9 in |
| 150 cm | 4 ft 11.1 in | 180 cm | 5 ft 10.9 in |
| 155 cm | 5 ft 1.0 in | 185 cm | 6 ft 0.8 in |
| 160 cm | 5 ft 3.0 in | 190 cm | 6 ft 2.8 in |
| 165 cm | 5 ft 5.0 in | 195 cm | 6 ft 4.8 in |
| 170 cm | 5 ft 6.9 in | 200 cm | 6 ft 6.7 in |
Look at 155, 160 and 165 cm: they land almost exactly on whole inches. That is a coincidence of 2.54, not a rule.
Where on the scale does 170 cm sit?
Every height from 152.4 cm up to 182.88 cm is “five something”. The marker shows 5 ft 7 in at 170.2 cm.
The 5.7 mistake, and why it matters
People often write 5.7 when they mean 5 ft 7 in. It looks the same, but a decimal point in feet splits a foot into tenths, not into twelve inches. A tenth of a foot is 1.2 inches. So 5.7 ft means five feet and seven tenths of a foot, which is 5 ft 8.4 in.
- Five feet plus 0.7 of a foot
- 0.7 × 12 = 8.4 inches
- 5 ft 8.4 in
- Five feet plus 7 whole inches
- 7 inches × 2.54 = 17.8 cm
- The usual way people state height
The two differ by 3.5 cm, more than an inch. On a medical form, a sports trial or a matrimony profile, that is a visible difference.
A quick head calculation when you have no tool
- Centimetres to inches, roughly: multiply by 0.4. So 170 cm is about 68 inches. The true value is 66.9, so this runs about 1 inch high.
- Feet and inches to cm, roughly: feet × 30 plus inches × 2.5. For 5 ft 7 in, that is 150 + 17.5 = 167.5 cm. The true value is 170.2, so this runs about 2.7 cm low.
- For anything that goes on a document, use 2.54 and keep one decimal. Estimates are fine for chatting, not for forms.
Measuring your height so the number is right
- Stand barefoot with your heels, back and the back of your head against a flat wall.
- Look straight ahead with your chin level, not tipped up.
- Lay a flat book or ruler on top of your head, square to the wall, and mark the wall under it.
- Measure from the floor to the mark with a tape. Do it twice and take the same reading both times.
- Measure at about the same time of day. People are often 1 to 2 cm taller in the morning than at night because the spine compresses through the day.
Where else your height number is used
- BMI needs height in metres. 170 cm becomes 1.70, then BMI is weight divided by 1.70 × 1.70. See what your BMI can and cannot tell you.
- Step length. Walking distance is estimated from height, which is how 10,000 steps in km is worked out.
- Calorie needs. Height is one input to BMR and TDEE.
- Matrimony profiles. Height is normally written as 5 ft 4 in. Use the marriage biodata guide to place it correctly.
- Body shape. Waist to hip ratio uses tape measurements, where the same cm and inch rules apply.
- Other units. For length, weight and temperature in general, see the unit conversion guide.
Questions people ask
How tall is 170 cm in feet and inches?
170 cm is 5 feet 6.9 inches, which most people round to 5 ft 7 in. The working is 170 ÷ 2.54 = 66.93 inches, and 66.93 inches is 5 feet with 6.93 inches left over.
How many cm is 5 feet 7 inches?
5 feet 7 inches is 67 inches, and 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm, so about 170.2 cm.
170 cm kitne feet hota hai?
170 cm lagbhag 5 feet 6.9 inch hota hai, yaani takreeban 5 feet 7 inch. Formula: cm ko 2.54 se divide karke inch nikalo, phir 12 se divide karke feet aur bache hue inch alag karo.
5 feet 6 inch kitne cm hote hain?
5 feet 6 inch matlab 66 inch, aur 66 × 2.54 = 167.6 cm. Isliye 5 ft 6 in lagbhag 167.6 cm hota hai.
How many cm are in one foot?
Exactly 30.48 cm. One inch is exactly 2.54 cm and a foot has 12 inches, so 12 × 2.54 = 30.48.
Is 5.7 feet the same as 5 feet 7 inches?
No. 5.7 feet is five feet plus seven tenths of a foot, which is 8.4 inches, so it equals 5 ft 8.4 in or 173.7 cm. 5 ft 7 in is 170.2 cm.
What is the easiest way to convert cm to feet?
Divide the centimetres by 30.48 to get feet in decimals, or by 2.54 to get inches and then split out the feet. A converter that shows feet and inches together avoids the decimal confusion.
Which height should I enter for BMI, cm or feet?
Use metres or centimetres, as BMI is weight in kg divided by height in metres squared. If you only know feet and inches, convert to cm first, then to metres.