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Centimeters to Inches

Type centimeters (cm), see inches (in).

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How to convert centimeters to inches

To change centimeters into inches, multiply by 0.393700787402.

inches = centimeters × 0.393700787402
Going the other way: centimeters = inches × 2.54

1 centimeter = 0.39370079 inches. This factor does not end, so results on this page are rounded.

Worked example

You have 30 centimeters. Multiply by 0.393700787402. 30 × 0.393700787402 = 11.811 in.

Centimeters to inches conversion table

Common centimeters to inches values, rounded to 4 decimal places.
Centimeters (cm) Inches (in)
1 cm 0.3937 in
2 cm 0.7874 in
5 cm 1.9685 in
10 cm 3.937 in
15 cm 5.9055 in
20 cm 7.874 in
25 cm 9.8425 in
30 cm 11.811 in
50 cm 19.685 in
75 cm 29.5276 in
100 cm 39.3701 in
150 cm 59.0551 in
175 cm 68.8976 in
180 cm 70.8661 in

The inch is defined from the centimeter, not the other way round

1 inch is exactly 2.54 cm. That is a definition, agreed internationally in 1959, not a measurement — which is why converting inches to centimeters is exact and converting centimeters to inches is not. Going this direction you divide by 2.54, and the answer is a decimal that never quite ends.

Heights are the usual reason people land here, and they are spoken in feet and inches rather than inches alone. 180 cm is about 70.9 inches, which people say as 5 ft 11 in. The table below gives the decimal; divide by 12 for the feet and keep the remainder for the inches.

Screen sizes are measured diagonally, corner to corner, never across the width. A 15-inch laptop screen is about 38 cm diagonally, and its width is considerably less.

Some trades still use fractional inches — sixteenths, eighths, quarters. 2.54 cm is one inch, 1.27 cm is a half, and 0.3175 cm is an eighth.

Frequently asked questions

How many inches is 30 cm?

30 cm is about 11.81 inches — just under a standard 12-inch ruler.

How many inches is 100 cm?

100 cm, one meter, is about 39.37 inches.

What is 180 cm in feet and inches?

180 cm is about 70.87 inches, which is 5 ft 11 in.

How many cm is 1 inch?

1 inch is exactly 2.54 cm, by international definition.

How many inches is 15 cm?

15 cm is about 5.91 inches.

Why is this conversion not exact both ways?

Because the inch is defined as exactly 2.54 cm. Multiplying inches by 2.54 is exact; dividing centimeters by 2.54 gives a decimal that repeats, so this direction is always rounded.

Related converters

Every factor on this page is listed in our conversion methodology.