DevBentoInches to Centimeters Converter
Convert inches to centimeters with exact formula, conversion table up to 100 inches, and real-world references for screens, height, and construction.
Convert inches to centimeters
Enter a length in inches to get the exact centimeter equivalent. The conversion factor is 2.54. The inch was defined as 25.4 mm in 1959 by international agreement. Inches are standard in the US and UK for screens, construction, and body measurements.
Conversion formula
The formula:
centimeters = inches × 2.54Worked example converting 5 feet 8 inches to centimeters.
First, convert to total inches: 5 × 12 + 8 = 68 inches.
Then multiply by 2.54:
68 × 2.54 = 172.72 cmExtended conversion table
| Inches | Centimeters | Real-world reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 2.54 cm | Width of a thumb |
| 2 in | 5.08 cm | Width of a credit card |
| 3 in | 7.62 cm | Width of a smartphone |
| 4 in | 10.16 cm | Width of a passport |
| 5 in | 12.70 cm | Length of a deck of cards |
| 6 in | 15.24 cm | Length of a standard pencil |
| 8 in | 20.32 cm | Length of a standard ruler |
| 10 in | 25.40 cm | Small tablet diagonal |
| 12 in | 30.48 cm | 1 foot |
| 13 in | 33.02 cm | 13 inch laptop diagonal |
| 15 in | 38.10 cm | 15 inch laptop diagonal |
| 20 in | 50.80 cm | 20 inch monitor diagonal |
| 24 in | 60.96 cm | 24 inch monitor diagonal |
| 27 in | 68.58 cm | 27 inch monitor diagonal |
| 32 in | 81.28 cm | 32 inch TV diagonal |
| 40 in | 101.60 cm | 40 inch TV diagonal |
| 43 in | 109.22 cm | 43 inch TV diagonal |
| 50 in | 127.00 cm | 50 inch TV diagonal |
| 55 in | 139.70 cm | 55 inch TV diagonal |
| 60 in | 152.40 cm | 60 inch TV / 5 feet |
| 65 in | 165.10 cm | 65 inch TV diagonal |
| 70 in | 177.80 cm | 5 ft 10 in, average male height |
| 72 in | 182.88 cm | 6 feet exactly |
| 75 in | 190.50 cm | 6 ft 3 in |
| 84 in | 213.36 cm | 7 feet / standard doorway height |
Real-world use cases
Screen sizes (phones, TVs, monitors)
Screen manufacturers list diagonal size in inches worldwide. A 6.1 inch phone screen is 15.5 cm diagonally. A 55 inch TV is about 140 cm. When shopping online in metric countries, multiply the listed inches by 2.54 to understand the physical size.
Height conversion
The US and UK report height in feet and inches. Most other countries use centimeters. To convert: multiply total inches by 2.54. Someone who is 5 ft 10 in is 70 inches, which is 177.8 cm. Height conversions are one of the most common reasons people search for this.
Pipe diameters and tire sizes
Plumbing uses inches for pipe diameters worldwide, even in metric countries. A 2 inch pipe has an outer diameter of about 5.08 cm. Tire sizes mix both systems: a 225/45R17 tire has a width of 22.5 cm and a rim diameter of 43.18 cm (17 inches).
Construction lumber
Lumber dimensions in the US use inches: a 2×4 board is actually 1.5 × 3.5 inches (3.81 × 8.89 cm). When buying wood in a metric country or working with international plans, you need to convert these nominal sizes.
Gotchas
The inch is exactly 2.54 cm, but rounding during intermediate steps introduces error. If you convert 50 inches to cm (127.0 cm), then convert that back using a rounded factor of 2.5, you get 126.75 cm instead of 127.0. Use 2.54 exactly for back-to-back conversions.
Height conversions are not round numbers. 5 ft 10 in is exactly 177.8 cm, but 5 ft 9 in is 175.26 cm. Do not expect clean numbers when converting human heights between feet/inches and centimeters.
Screen diagonal does not equal width. A 24 inch monitor (60.96 cm diagonal) is about 53.1 cm wide in a 16:9 ratio. The diagonal measurement includes both width and height, so the width is always less.
Related tools
- Reverse conversion: Centimeters to Inches
- Full converter: Unit Converter
- Weight conversion: Lbs to Kg
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