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The imperial-to-metric conversion engineers and travelers reach for daily
Feet are the everyday length unit in the US; meters are universal in science, aviation and most of the world. This calculator converts any feet value to meters instantly using the exact definition: 1 ft = 0.3048 m.
The formula
m = ft × 0.3048
- ft — the length in feet.
- m — the equivalent length in meters.
- 0.3048 — the exact conversion factor (1959 international agreement).
Alternatively: m = ft ÷ 3.28084. Both forms give the same result.
Worked example
Using the default of 6 ft:
- Multiply by 0.3048: 6 × 0.3048 = 1.8288 m.
So 6 ft = 1.8288 m (exactly).
Conversion table
| Feet (ft) | Meters (m) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.305 |
| 2 | 0.610 |
| 3 | 0.914 |
| 4 | 1.219 |
| 5 | 1.524 |
| 6 | 1.829 |
| 7 | 2.134 |
| 8 | 2.438 |
| 9 | 2.743 |
| 10 | 3.048 |
| 15 | 4.572 |
| 20 | 6.096 |
| 25 | 7.620 |
| 50 | 15.240 |
| 100 | 30.480 |
History & standards
The foot originated in human anatomy — the length of a typical man’s foot — and was used in many measurement systems across Europe before being standardized. In the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement, six English-speaking nations (US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa) fixed 1 inch = 25.4 mm exactly. Since 1 foot = 12 inches, this gives 1 ft = 304.8 mm = 0.3048 m exactly. The meter, originally defined in 1790s France as one ten-millionth of the Earth’s quadrant, has been defined since 1983 as the distance light travels in 1/299,792,458 s. NIST deprecated the US survey foot — which differed from the international foot by 2 ppm — in 2023.
Common applications
- Building heights. US skyscrapers are quoted in feet; international comparisons require meters.
- Aviation. Altitude is measured in feet in most airspace; metric countries sometimes publish in meters.
- Swimming pools. Standard lengths are 25 m or 50 m; US pools are often 25 yards (75 ft).
- Real estate. Room heights and lot depths in US listings appear in feet; metric buyers need meters.
- Running. Road races are in km/m; track events sometimes quoted in feet for US audiences.
Reverse conversion
To convert meters to feet, multiply by 3.28084: ft = m × 3.28084. Use the meters to feet calculator for instant results.
Limitations & gotchas
- Feet-and-inches input. This calculator expects decimal feet (e.g. 5.833 for 5′10″). For feet-and-inches input, use the feet and inches to cm calculator first, then convert cm to meters.
- US survey foot (deprecated 2023). The difference is about 0.3 mm per kilometer — negligible for everyday use.
- Significant figures. The conversion factor 0.3048 is exact; displayed results are rounded to 3–4 decimal places.
Sources & references
- NIST SP 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI).
- BIPM, The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition.
- 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
- Federal Register Vol. 88, No. 60 (2023) — deprecation of the US survey foot.
FAQs
Multiply the number of feet by 0.3048: m = ft × 0.3048. For example, 6 ft × 0.3048 = 1.8288 m. The factor 0.3048 is exact, derived from the 1959 international agreement that fixed 1 inch = 25.4 mm.
6 × 0.3048 = 1.8288 m (often quoted as 1.83 m).
5 × 0.3048 = 1.524 m.
m = ft × 0.3048. Alternatively divide feet by 3.28084 to get the same result.
1 m ÷ 0.3048 ≈ 3.28084 ft. This is also the conversion factor for the reverse direction.
The 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement defined 1 inch = 25.4 mm exactly. Since 1 foot = 12 inches, 1 ft = 12 × 25.4 mm = 304.8 mm = 0.3048 m. This is an exact value, not an approximation.