Convert ft to m feet ↔ metres Free Online Secure
Type a value in feet and read it in metres at once. The factor is exact by definition, the arithmetic happens in your browser, and nothing is sent anywhere.
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Common values — Convert ft to m (feet ↔ metres)
| ft | m |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.3048 |
| 2 | 0.6096 |
| 3 | 0.9144 |
| 5 | 1.524 |
| 10 | 3.048 |
| 20 | 6.096 |
| 50 | 15.24 |
| 100 | 30.48 |
Where these units come from
The metre was first defined in 1793 as a ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole — a definition nobody could check without surveying a quarter of the planet. It has been redefined four times since, each time to something steadier: a platinum bar, then a prototype kept in Paris, then a wavelength of krypton light, and since 1983 the distance light travels in vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. The inch stopped being a separate thing in 1959, when six countries agreed to define it as exactly 25.4 mm. That agreement is why every conversion on this page between a metric and an imperial length is exact rather than measured: both sides now descend from the same definition.
Where you meet them
Millimetres are the working unit of engineering drawings and of anything made in a workshop; centimetres belong to tailoring, furniture and school rulers; metres to rooms, fabric and running tracks. Feet and inches survive in aviation altitudes worldwide, in American and British construction, and in the diagonal of every screen you have ever bought. Nautical miles are not a quaint survival — one is a minute of latitude, which is why ships and aircraft still navigate in them.
Questions people ask
Why are aircraft altitudes given in feet?
Because international aviation standardised on feet decades ago and has never had a reason to change. Flight levels are altitudes in hundreds of feet, so level 350 is 35,000 feet. A foot is exactly 0.3048 metres, so converting is exact; a few countries, such as China and Russia, have used metres instead, which is why pilots must know both.
How is the metre defined today?
As the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. The definition has been in place since 1983 and ties the metre to the speed of light, which is itself fixed at exactly 299,792,458 metres per second. The old platinum bar in Paris no longer defines anything.
Is the answer exact?
Where both units are defined in terms of one another by whole numbers, yes — the page says so above the figure, and the only rounding is in how many digits are shown. Where the ratio has no finite decimal, the page shows twelve significant digits and says the relation is approximate rather than pretending otherwise.
Does anything I type leave my device?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no server to upload it to. Load the page once and it keeps working with the network switched off.
American feet, metric rooms: how to convert ft to m without a calculator
Sooner or later every reader of an English-language website, a home-improvement video or a travel guide runs into the foot. A hotel room is 14 by 18 feet, the clearance under a bridge is 11 feet, the climb is 3,000 feet, and your own sense of size is built on metres. To bridge the gap you have to convert ft to m, and this page does it as you type: enter a length in feet and read it in metres, with the rounding and the working shown below.
The foot has been defined since 1959 as exactly 0.3048 metres, so the conversion is a single multiplication with no uncertainty. The only practical difficulty with a “convert ft to m” calculation is that 0.3048 is not a figure that sits easily in the head, which is why a few shortcuts are worth learning. In the sections that follow you will find the rule, worked examples, the story of each unit, a comparison, a list of the situations in which the conversion matters, and the mistakes most often made.
How to convert ft to m: multiply by 0.3048
The exact rule
One foot is exactly 0.3048 metres. To convert ft to m, multiply the number of feet by 0.3048. Ten feet are 3.048 m, a hundred feet are 30.48 m, and a thousand feet are 304.8 m. A fraction works the same way: 2.5 ft is 0.762 m, and 0.5 ft is 0.1524 m. The result is exact, though you will usually round it to centimetres or to two decimals.
Examples
A person 6 ft tall measures 1.8288 m, or about 1.83 m. A ceiling of 8 ft is 2.4384 m, about 2.44 m. A 12 ft room is 3.6576 m, about 3.66 m. A 40 ft shipping container is 12.192 m. A plane flying at 35,000 ft is at 10,668 m.
Shortcuts
For a rough figure, take 30 per cent of the feet and add a little: 20 ft times 0.3 is 6, plus 1.6 per cent gives 6.1 m, close to the exact 6.096. Another method is to divide by 3.28, because a metre is 3.28 feet.
Feet and inches
If the length is given as feet and inches, convert the inches into a fraction of a foot first. 5 ft 9 in is 5.75 ft and so 1.7526 m. Trying to multiply the two parts separately and add them also works: 5 ft is 1.524 m and 9 in is 0.2286 m, together 1.7526 m.
The foot
Origin and definition
The foot was once literally the length of a foot, then a standard kept in a town hall. Many regions had their own, from about 25 to 35 centimetres. Britain and the United States unified it in the 1950s, and in 1959 the English-speaking countries agreed on the value of exactly 0.3048 metres, which also fixed the yard at 0.9144 metres.
The survey foot
In the United States there was until the end of 2022 a second foot, the US survey foot, which was 2 parts per million longer. Over a distance of a mile the difference is about 3 mm, but for maps of whole states it mattered. Since 2023 the international foot is the only one recommended, and nothing in this page depends on the old distinction.
The metre
The base unit
The metre is the base unit of length in the International System. Since 1983 it has been defined from the speed of light: the distance light travels in vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. Earlier definitions used a fraction of the Earth meridian and then a platinum bar kept in Paris.
In daily life
Most of the world measures rooms, roads, athletics tracks and heights in metres. The unit is about the size of a long stride, a counter top or the distance between your nose and the fingertips of an outstretched arm.
Foot and metre side by side
A metre is 3.2808 feet, so a foot is a bit under a third of a metre. A number in feet is therefore about three times larger than the same length in metres. The ratio is not tidy, but it is easy to remember as three and a quarter.
The foot is divided into twelve inches, the metre into a hundred centimetres, so even the subdivisions think differently. When you write for an international audience, give the main figure in the unit most readers expect and add the other in brackets, for example 10 ft (3.05 m).
Where you will need it
Travel and real estate
Holiday rentals in the United States list rooms in feet. A room of 12 by 15 ft is 3.66 by 4.57 m, which is 16.7 square metres. A garage of 20 by 20 ft is 6.1 by 6.1 m and holds two cars with little room to spare. Doing the “convert ft to m” calculation before you book avoids surprises on arrival.
Cars and roads
Clearance signs show feet and inches: 13 ft 6 in is 4.11 m, the legal height limit of many US roads. A European truck of 4 m fits, but a double decker coach of 4.4 m does not. Lane width of 12 ft is 3.66 m, and a parking space of 9 ft by 18 ft is 2.74 by 5.49 m.
Sports
Basketball rims are at 10 ft, 3.048 m, and the three point line in the NBA is 23 ft 9 in away, 7.24 m. American football fields run 300 ft between goal lines, 91.44 m. A high jumper clearing 7 ft has gone over 2.13 m.
Engineering and aviation
Altitudes, runway lengths and wing spans are given in feet. A runway of 8,000 ft is 2,438 m. A wingspan of 224 ft 7 in is 68.45 m. Engineers who work in both systems keep a table of the most common values.
Mountains and altitude
Peaks in feet
Mount Everest is quoted as 29,032 ft, which is 8,849 m. Mont Blanc is 15,774 ft, 4,808 m. Denali, the highest peak in North America, reaches 20,310 ft, 6,190 m. In Romania, the Moldoveanu summit is 2,544 m, or 8,346 ft.
Trail guides
US trail guides give elevation gain in feet. A climb of 3,000 ft is 914 m, a demanding day hike. If your fitness app uses metres, convert before you decide, or the day will be longer than you expected.
Spreadsheet formulas
One cell, one factor
Put 0.3048 in a labelled cell and multiply the feet column by it. Format the output with two decimals. If you have feet and inches in separate columns, use =(A2+B2/12)*0.3048.
Round trips
To check a column, convert the metres back by dividing by 0.3048. The result should match the original feet to within rounding.
Two systems, one world
Why the foot survives
The United States, Liberia and Myanmar are the places where the metric system is not the default. Britain uses it officially but keeps miles and feet in speech and on road signs. Aviation uses feet worldwide. This mixture is the reason why people keep needing to convert ft to m.
Switching attempts
The US has made repeated attempts to go metric since the 1970s, yet industries such as construction remain in feet. Many manufacturers there use both units on the same product label.
Planning a renovation
Order of work
Convert all dimensions at the start and record them in one table. Then mark the metric results on the drawings. A mixed plan, half in feet and half in metres, invites mistakes, especially when different trades read it.
Checking the delivery
Ask suppliers for the dimensions in metres as well. If the box says 8 ft, check that the actual measurement on site is 2.44 m.
A weekend project: a garden shed
Footprint and height
A kit shed sold in the United States measures 8 ft by 10 ft with a ridge at 8 ft 6 in. Run the “convert ft to m” calculation step on each figure: 2.44 m by 3.05 m, with the ridge at 2.59 m. That is a floor area of 7.4 square metres, large enough for a bicycle, a mower and a workbench, but you should check local rules, because in many places a building above a certain floor area needs a permit.
Door and foundation
The door of 6 ft by 3 ft is 1.83 by 0.91 m, which suits a wheelbarrow. A foundation of four 4 by 4 in beams laid on gravel needs a base about 0.1 m larger on each side, so mark out 2.64 by 3.25 m on the ground before you dig.
Carrying the numbers with you
A pocket table
Write six values on a card: 1 ft 0.30 m, 3 ft 0.91 m, 5 ft 1.52 m, 6 ft 1.83 m, 10 ft 3.05 m, 100 ft 30.5 m. With these anchors you can read nearly any American sign. Between the anchors, interpolate: 8 ft sits between 6 ft and 10 ft, so about 2.4 m. It is not a substitute for the exact convert ft to m on this page, but it keeps you moving when your phone is out of reach.
Train your eye
Spend a day looking at everyday objects and guessing their size in both units before measuring. After a week you will notice that a feet figure triggers a metre picture in your head without any arithmetic.
Tall buildings and landmarks
Famous heights
The Empire State Building reaches 1,250 ft to the roof, 381 m. The Eiffel Tower, 330 m, stands about 1,083 ft. The Statue of Liberty, from ground to torch, is 305 ft, 93 m. The Burj Khalifa climbs 2,717 ft, 828 m.
Why the numbers differ
Heights are quoted to the roof, to the spire or to the antenna. The same building can be three different heights, and each can be correct. When you convert ft to m for a comparison, state which measure you used.
Swimming pools and water
Pool lengths
An Olympic pool is 50 m, which is 164 ft. A typical US high school pool is 25 yards, 75 ft, 22.86 m. A backyard pool of 16 by 32 ft is 4.88 by 9.75 m.
Depth and waves
Diving boards stand at 3 ft (0.91 m) for the springboard and 10 ft (3.05 m) for the platform. Weather forecasts for the open sea quote wave heights in feet: a 10 ft swell is just over 3 m.
Building and lumber
Boards and studs
A standard stud is 8 ft, which is 2.44 m. A board of 12 ft is 3.66 m. When a European supplier sells you lengths in 2.4 m and 3.6 m, these are the nearest metric equivalents. The difference is only 4 cm, enough to matter in a tight fit.
Foundation and roofing
A footing 2 ft wide is 0.61 m. A roof overhang of 1.5 ft is 0.46 m. Rafters are spaced 24 in, 2 ft, 0.61 m apart. These numbers explain why European and American roof plans cannot be copied without a conversion.
Ships, planes and trains
Boat lengths
A yacht of 40 ft is 12.19 m. A fishing boat of 24 ft is 7.32 m. Marinas charge by the foot, so a berth for a 45 ft boat is a 13.7 m berth. Do a “convert ft to m” calculation and check both units before booking.
Railway and tram
A US railway car is about 85 ft, 25.9 m. Standard gauge is 4 ft 8.5 in, 1.435 m, the same as in much of Europe, a rare case where the two systems agree exactly.
Fences, hoses and cables
Garden supplies
A hose of 50 ft is 15.24 m and one of 100 ft is 30.48 m. A roll of fence wire of 330 ft is 100.6 m. Orders from American suppliers usually round to these standard lengths.
Electrical
Extension cords come in 25, 50 and 100 ft, which are 7.6, 15.2 and 30.5 m. For a garden light, a 50 ft cord reaches a spot 15 m away only if there are no detours.
Rounding rules
How many decimals
For rooms, two decimals are plenty: they give a centimetre. For machine parts, four decimals give a tenth of a millimetre. Do not round the factor itself. Use 0.3048, not 0.3, if the result matters.
Rounding in your favour
When buying material after a “convert ft to m” calculation, round the result up. When checking clearance, round down. A truck of 13 ft 6 in is 4.115 m, so a bridge marked 4.1 m is not safe.
Photographic and cinema distances
Focus scales
Lenses sold in the United States have focus rings marked in feet: 3, 5, 10, infinity. A subject at 10 ft is 3.05 m away. Portrait photographers choose 6 to 10 ft, 1.8 to 3 m, for flattering perspective.
Set and stage
A film set wall is 12 ft high, 3.66 m. A tripod extends to 5 ft, 1.52 m. Directors discussing camera distances in feet with a metric crew find a conversion card useful.
Teaching the conversion
Measure the classroom
A class can measure the room with a tape that has both scales. Writing the same wall as 20 ft and 6.1 m side by side shows the relation more clearly than a formula.
Estimate first
Ask students to guess the length of the room in feet, then in metres, then to measure. Their estimates in the unit they know are usually better, and the gap teaches how well they have internalised each scale.
More values for convert ft to m
A longer list of conversions
If the value you need is not in the first list, these further conversions may be close enough to read off directly:
- 0.1 ft = 0.03048 m
- 0.5 ft = 0.1524 m
- 3 ft = 0.9144 m
- 4 ft = 1.2192 m
- 7 ft = 2.1336 m
- 15 ft = 4.572 m
- 20 ft = 6.096 m
- 75 ft = 22.86 m
- 200 ft = 60.96 m
- 500 ft = 152.4 m
- 2,000 ft = 609.6 m
- 10,000 ft = 3,048 m
Mistakes when you convert ft to m
Dividing instead of multiplying
A foot is shorter than a metre, so the number of metres is smaller. If 10 ft gives 32.8, you divided in the wrong direction.
Using 0.3 as the factor
It is fine for a rough idea but gives a 1.6 per cent error, enough to ruin a close fit.
Mixing feet and inches
5 ft 9 in is 5.75 ft, not 5.9 ft. Convert the inches before you multiply.
Quick answers
How many metres in a foot?
Exactly 0.3048.
How do I convert ft to m?
Multiply the number of feet by 0.3048.
What is 10 ft in metres?
3.048 m.
Is the conversion exact?
Yes. Since 1959 the foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 m.
Does my number leave my device?
No. The calculation runs in your browser.
Related pages and a last word
If you work with lengths, these conversions are close at hand: Convert ft to in, Convert ft to mi, Convert dm to m, Convert km to m, Convert m to cm, Convert °C to °F, Convert °F to °C, Convert L to gal, Convert gal to L. The reverse of this page is Convert m to ft.
In short, to convert ft to m multiply by 0.3048, remember that a metre is a little over three feet, and keep only the digits your measurement supports. Your number stays on your device: nothing is uploaded and no account is needed.