Meters to Feet Calculator

Meters and feet are both used to measure length but they belong to different unit systems. The meter is the base unit of the metric system and it is used almost all over the world. The foot on the other hand belongs to the imperial and US customary units and it is still commonly used in some regions like the United States and Great Britain. This calculator converts lengths between these two units and displays the results simultaneously in centimeters, inches, meters, kilometers, and miles.

How to convert meters to feet:

One meter is equivalent to 3.280839895 feet, so when converting meters into feet a multiplication is performed. Many people round the conversion factor to 3.28084 but for everyday applications this error is only a tiny fraction of a millimeter.

Let's say we have a rope that is 5 meters long. If you multiply 3.28084 by 5, the length would be 16.404 feet. A height difference of 10 meters corresponds to 32.808 feet and a track with a length of 100 meters is 328.08 feet long.

How to convert feet to meters:

Converting from feet to meters is just as easy. One foot is exactly 0.3048 meters, a value set by an international agreement in 1959. So to convert feet to meters, you can multiply by 0.3048 or divide by 3.28084.

The height of a person who is 6 feet tall is 1.829 meters, which is the product of 6 and 0.3048. A rope that is 100 feet long is 30.48 meters long. To perform these calculations with this tool, set the input unit to feet and check the result in meters.

How to convert meters to feet and inches.

Feet are usually not given individually but as a combination of whole feet and inches. This is the usual way to give height. Since one foot has 12 inches, when giving feet with decimals, you keep the whole number part and multiply the remaining part by 12 to convert it into inches.

One meter is equal to 3.28084 feet. The whole number part is 3 feet, and multiplying the remaining 0.28084 feet by 12 gives approximately 3.37 inches. So one meter is equivalent to 3 feet and 3.37 inches. In a calculation tool, this result will be shown as a breakdown next to the decimal value.

Conversion examples.

Below are some examples of conversions that have been done end to end.

• To convert meters to feet, multiply by 3.28084, so 2 meters is equal to 6.562 feet, or 6 feet and 6.7 inches.

• 1.75 meters (a typical height) is equal to 5.741 feet, or 5 feet and 8.9 inches.

• 15 meters is equal to 49.213 feet.

• Conversely, 20 feet is equal to 20 multiplied by 0.3048 which equals 6.096 meters.

Conversion table: Converting meters to feet

These are practical reference values for whole meters. Multiply by 3.28084 to get any value in between.

What is a metre?

The metre is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), the modern form of metric system. Its definition is based on a physical constant, rather than an arbitrary object or a particular measurement: it is the distance travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second. When originally defined in 1793, the metre was intended to be equal to one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole.

The metre is a unit of measurement in the SI system and is used worldwide to measure distances, heights, widths, depths etc. in science, technology and everyday life. The main exception is the USA where feet, yards and miles are still mainly used for everyday measurements.

What is a foot?

A foot is a unit of length in the yard-pound system and US customary system equal to exactly 0.3048 meters, or 12 inches. Three feet are equivalent to one yard. The name and approximate length come from the human foot. Prior to standardization, the length of a foot varied by region but was approximately between 250 and 335 millimeters.

Today the foot is primarily used in the United States, Canada and Britain to measure human height, room sizes and short distances. In aviation it is also used to measure altitudes. It is also used on maps almost everywhere, even in countries that use the metric system, to indicate elevation.

Why is the conversion factor 3.280839895?

Since a foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters, one meter must be the number of feet you get when you divide 1 by 0.3048. The result is a number like 3.2808398950131 that does not end cleanly. If we round it to 3.28084, we have an accurate enough value with an error of less than one millimeter per meter. However, calculation tools use the full accuracy numbers to ensure the result is correct.

Here's how to use this calculator.

• Enter the length in the input field.

• Select the unit from the drop-down menu. When converting meters to feet, the default unit is meter. Other starting units include foot, inch, centimeter, yard, kilometer and mile.

• Check the result shown at the top of the page, and next to it you will see the value for meters.

• Scroll through the results cards to see the results in centimeters, inches, yards and feet and inches. For longer distances kilometers and miles are also shown.

Conversion results are provided for general reference only. For engineering, legal or safety work you should verify values and required accuracy against recognized standards.