Feet to Meters Converter

About the Feet to Meters Converter

Convert feet to meters with the internationally defined factor: 1 foot = 0.3048 meters exactly. Enter any feet value to see the matching meter output, along with centimeters and inches for extra context.

Feet-to-meters conversion is essential in construction, engineering, athletics, aviation, and everyday life. Ceiling heights, room dimensions, elevation data, and athletic field measurements all frequently need conversion between these two units.

The conversion factor of 0.3048 is exact — not an approximation. It was established by the International Yard and Pound Agreement of 1959 and is the foundation for all imperial-to-metric length conversions.

When This Page Helps

Mixing feet and meters leads to errors in construction, athletics, and science. This converter uses the exact defined factor to remove rounding uncertainty. It is especially useful for large or fractional values.

How to Use the Inputs

1. Enter the number of feet in the input field.
2. The meter equivalent appears in the result panel.
3. Additional conversions to centimeters and kilometers are shown.
4. For feet-and-inches, convert inches to decimal feet first (divide inches by 12).
5. Reverse the conversion by using the meters-to-feet output.

Example Calculation

Tips & Best Practices

• Quick estimate: multiply feet by 0.3 for a rough meter value.
• A meter is about 3.28 feet (just over 3 feet 3 inches).
• A football field is 100 yards = 300 feet = 91.44 meters.
• Ceiling heights: 8 ft = 2.44 m, 9 ft = 2.74 m, 10 ft = 3.05 m.
• For feet-and-inches input, convert inches to a fraction of a foot (e.g., 5'11" = 5 + 11/12 = 5.917 ft).

Feet and Meters in Everyday Use

Feet are the primary unit for room dimensions, ceiling heights, and personal height in the United States. Meters are used everywhere else and in all scientific contexts. Construction professionals who work with international plans frequently need to convert between the two.

Aviation and Elevation

Aviation uses feet for altitude worldwide (even in metric countries), while topographic maps may use either meters or feet depending on the country. Pilots and air traffic controllers always communicate altitude in feet, making this conversion important for geography and aviation contexts.

Converting Compound Measurements

Many real-world measurements are expressed as feet and inches (e.g., 5'10"). To convert these, first convert the entire measurement to decimal feet by dividing the inches by 12 and adding to the feet, then multiply by 0.3048.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many meters is 1 foot?

  One foot is exactly 0.3048 meters. This is a defined international standard. It equals 30.48 centimeters or 304.8 millimeters, all exact values.

• How do I convert feet and inches to meters?

  First convert inches to feet by dividing by 12, then add to the feet value. For example, 5 feet 10 inches = 5 + 10/12 = 5.833 feet. Then multiply by 0.3048: 5.833 × 0.3048 = 1.778 meters.

• Is 1 meter equal to 3 feet?

  Not exactly. One meter equals 3.28084 feet, which is 3 feet 3.37 inches. So a meter is slightly longer than 3 feet but shorter than 3 feet 4 inches.

• What is the feet to meters conversion factor?

  The exact conversion factor is 0.3048. This means you multiply any value in feet by 0.3048 to get meters. This factor was defined by international agreement in 1959 and is mathematically exact.

• How tall is 6 feet in meters?

  6 feet = 1.8288 meters, or approximately 182.9 centimeters. This is a common height conversion. For reference, 5'10" is 1.778 m and 6'2" is 1.880 m.

• Why is the conversion factor exactly 0.3048?

  The 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement defined one yard as exactly 0.9144 meters. Since one yard contains 3 feet, one foot is 0.9144/3 = 0.3048 meters exactly. This standardized the previously varying definitions across countries.