What is an inch?
Inch. Definition: An inch (symbol: in) is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems of measurement. An inch was defined to be equivalent to exactly 25.4 millimeters in 1959. There are 12 inches in a foot and 36 inches in a yard. History/origin: The term "inch" was derived from the Latin unit "uncia" which equated to "one-twelfth" ...
What is a foot in meters?
Foot. Definition: A foot (symbol: ft) is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems of measurement. A foot was defined as exactly 0.3048 meters in 1959. One foot contains 12 inches, and one yard is comprised of three feet. History/origin: Prior to standardization of units of measurement, and the definition ...
What is the history of the foot?
History/origin: Prior to standardization of units of measurement, and the definition of the foot currently in use, the measurement of the foot was used in many different systems including the Greek, Roman, English, Chinese, and French systems, varying in length between each. The various lengths were due to parts of the human body historically being ...
What is the purpose of feet?
In the US, feet and inches are commonly used to measure height, shorter distances, field length (sometimes in the form of yards), etc. Feet are also commonly used to measure altitude (aviation) as well as elevation ...
Where is the foot used?
Current use: The foot is primarily used in the United States, Canada, ...
How to convert feet to inches?
To convert feet to inches, multiply the number of feet by 12, since there are 12 inches in a foot. If you have a measurement in feet and inches, add the number of inches to the answer after multiplying the number of feet by 12. For example, if you need to convert 5 feet 3 inches into inches, multiply 5 by 12 to get 60.
How to get inches back to feet?
To get inches back to feet, divide by twelve. If you ever want to get your inch measurement back into feet, just do the reverse of the multiplication you did to get it in inches: in other words, divide it by 12. Don't forget to re-label your answer in feet.
Is a measurement always given in feet?
Measurements aren't always given in just feet. Sometimes, especially for certain types of measurements like heights, measurements are given in feet and inches (like, for example, "100 feet, six inches.) In this case, start by writing just the number of feet — leave the inches out for now.
Feet to Inches Conversion Formula and How to Use It
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
Feet to Inches Formula
This conversion isn't quite as easy as converting between metric units, which are simply factors of 10, but it's not difficult.
Feet to Inches Example
Let's say you measure a room and find it is 12.2 feet across. Find the number in inches.
Converting Inches to Feet
Since all you do is multiply by 12 to convert feet to inches, it should make sense to you that all you do to convert inches to feet is divide by 12.
Inches to Feet Example
You measure your laptop and find the screen is 15.4 inches across. What is this in feet?
Important Information for Unit Conversions with Division
One of the most common areas of confusion when doing unit conversions involving division concerns unit cancelling. When you're converting inches to feet, you divide by 12 in/ft. This is the same as multiplying by ft/in! It's one of those rules you use when multiplying fractions that a lot of people forget about when dealing with units.
How to Convert Feet & Inches to Centimeters
To convert a height value in feet and inches to centimeters, follow a few easy steps.
How to Convert Centimeters to Inches
The process to convert a height centimeters to feet and inches is essentially the reverse of the steps above.