Convert height or length from feet and inches to millimeters.
Need to convert your height or length from feet and inches to millimeters (mm)? Whether you're working on architectural drawings, medical data, or international product specs, this conversion is essential for precision in the metric world. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to convert any combination of feet and inches into millimeters using a clear formula, conversion chart, and real-world examples.
The imperial system (feet, inches) is widely used in the United States, while the metric system (millimeters, centimeters, meters) is the global standard in science, medicine, construction, and product design. Millimeters offer more precision than centimeters and are preferred in technical fields for:
The formula to convert a combination of feet and inches to millimeters is simple and straightforward:
Millimeters (mm) = ((Feet × 12) + Inches) × 25.4
This works because:
Convert 5 feet 8 inches to mm
= ((5 × 12) + 8) × 25.4
= (60 + 8) × 25.4 = 68 × 25.4 = 1727.2 mm
Feet = 6 → 6 × 12 = 72 inches
Inches = 2 → 72 + 2 = 74 inches
74 × 25.4 = 1879.6 mm
| Feet | Inches | Total Inches | Millimeters (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 48 | 1219.2 |
| 5 | 0 | 60 | 1524.0 |
| 5 | 6 | 66 | 1676.4 |
| 5 | 8 | 68 | 1727.2 |
| 6 | 0 | 72 | 1828.8 |
| 6 | 4 | 76 | 1930.4 |
Millimeters are ideal when you need exact dimensions—such as when designing products, machinery parts, or for medical usage.
Most countries use millimeters and centimeters, especially in legal and scientific documentation.
Engineering, architecture, and 3D modeling software (like AutoCAD or SolidWorks) often require input in mm for fine-grain accuracy.
To convert millimeters back to feet and inches:
1800 mm ÷ 25.4 = 70.866 inches → 70 ÷ 12 = 5 feet 10.87 inches
You can use a simple formula in Excel to automate the conversion:
=((A1*12)+B1)*25.4
Where A1 is the feet value and B1 is the inches value.
6 feet = 72 inches → 72 × 25.4 = 1828.8 mm
(5 × 12) + 7 = 67 inches → 67 × 25.4 = 1701.8 mm
25.4 mm
5 feet 10 inches = 70 inches → 70 × 25.4 = 1778 mm
Yes, especially when converting sizes between regions that use metric vs imperial systems.
Converting feet and inches to millimeters is essential in many professional and personal contexts. Whether you’re measuring your height, working with blueprints, or adjusting furniture dimensions, this conversion gives you globally accepted and highly precise results.
Use the formula ((Feet × 12) + Inches) × 25.4 for manual calculation, or rely on our instant converter for speed and accuracy. With our examples, table, and FAQ section, you’ll never be unsure about imperial-to-metric conversion again.
Feet, symbolized as ft, are one of the most recognized and widely used units of length in the world, especially in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Despite the global adoption of the metric system, feet remain a vital measurement unit in construction, aviation, sports, and everyday life. This guide covers everything you need to know about feet as a unit—definition, conversions, history, applications, formulas, and real-world examples.
A foot (plural: feet) is a unit of length in the Imperial and U.S. customary measurement systems. One foot is equivalent to:
The symbol for foot is ft, and the abbreviation for inch is in. For example, a person may say they are "6 feet tall" or "6 ft."
The foot has ancient origins and was originally based on the average length of a human foot. Different civilizations had their own versions of the "foot" as a unit of measurement—Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all used it with slightly varying lengths.
Standardization came in 1959 when the United States and countries of the Commonwealth agreed on the international foot:
1 international foot = 0.3048 meters
Understanding how the foot relates to other units of length is essential, especially in engineering, construction, and international conversions.
Here are some useful formulas for converting feet into other units:
feet × 12 = inchesfeet × 30.48 = cmfeet × 0.3048 = metersfeet ÷ 3 = yardsFeet and meters are often compared, especially in international measurements. While meters are part of the metric system and used globally, feet are part of the Imperial system.
This makes feet shorter than a meter. For example, a 10-meter-long object would be about 32.8 feet.
In the United States and Canada, people commonly report height in feet and inches, such as "5 feet 10 inches" or "5'10".
Feet are frequently used in architectural blueprints, home layouts, and construction work. Room sizes, door heights, and pipe lengths are measured in feet.
In aviation, altitude is measured in feet. For example, a commercial plane might cruise at 35,000 feet above sea level.
Sports fields are often measured in feet—basketball courts, baseball diamonds, and football fields all use feet for measurement.
Square footage, used to measure the area of a home or office, is based on feet (square feet or ft²).
In math problems, feet are often used to calculate length, area, and volume:
Feet are measured using various tools depending on the precision needed:
There are 5,280 feet in one mile.
Yes, 6 feet is considered tall in most countries. It equals 72 inches or approximately 183 centimeters.
A square foot (ft²) is a unit of area equal to a square that is one foot on each side. It is commonly used to measure floor space.
Just multiply the number of feet by 12. For example, 5 feet = 5 × 12 = 60 inches.
Despite the rise of the metric system, feet remain a core measurement unit in digital applications, CAD designs, 3D modeling, and even e-commerce where product dimensions are listed in feet or inches for North American audiences.
| Feet | Inches | Centimeters | Meters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ft | 12 in | 30.48 cm | 0.3048 m |
| 2 ft | 24 in | 60.96 cm | 0.6096 m |
| 3 ft | 36 in | 91.44 cm | 0.9144 m |
| 5 ft | 60 in | 152.4 cm | 1.524 m |
| 6 ft | 72 in | 182.88 cm | 1.8288 m |
| 10 ft | 120 in | 304.8 cm | 3.048 m |
The foot is a practical and historic unit of length that continues to be used in many parts of the world for daily life, professional fields, and industrial applications. Whether you're measuring height, designing a building, or booking a real estate property, feet offer a clear and consistent way to express length and distance.
Need quick and accurate conversions? Try our online Feet to Centimeters, Feet to Meters, or Feet to Inches calculator tools to simplify your measurements!