Metres to Feet, and Why 3.28 Is Not Enough
Metres to feet means dividing by 0.3048, or multiplying by 3.280839895. The tool uses the foot defined by the 1959 agreement, so 1.8 m shows 5.905512 ft.
Ceilings, heights and altitudes
A foreign listing with a 9 ft ceiling is 2.7432 m, a little lower than the 2.8 m common in China; 8 ft is 2.4384 m and feels cramped. Convert before comparing, or the number means nothing against the heights you know.
Heights work the same way: 1.8 m is about 5.9055 ft, or 5 feet 10.9 inches, and 1.75 m is about 5 feet 8.9 inches. A 100 ft dive is 30.48 m, and a 35,000 ft cruise altitude is about 10,668 m, all with the same factor.
- Convert a ceiling height from a foreign listing
- Put a height in feet and inches on a form
- Convert dive depths and aircraft altitudes
0.3048 and decimal feet
The 1959 agreement fixed 1 yard at 0.9144 m, so 1 foot is one third of a yard, 0.3048 m, and 1 m is 3.280839895 ft. The tool multiplies by that factor, keeping six decimals below 1,000 with trailing zeros removed and two at or above 1,000.
The output is decimal feet, not feet and inches. To quote a height, multiply the fractional part by 12: 5.905512 ft is 5 ft plus 0.905512 × 12 ≈ 10.9 in. Calling 5.9 ft 5 feet 9 inches is nearly two inches off.
- 1 foot = 0.3048 m, by definition
- The result is decimal feet, not feet and inches
- Multiply the fraction by 12 for inches
Feet, inches and the chi
One foot is 12 inches and one inch is 2.54 cm, so the two go together. The Chinese chi is about 0.333 m and differs from the foot by roughly 9%; do not read a chi as a foot when looking at traditional furniture.
The tool converts length only, not area or volume, so square feet and cubic metres need their own tools. Aircraft altitudes also mix flight levels and metric heights, and the controller's clearance and the instruments govern, not a converted figure.
- 1 foot = 12 inches = 0.3048 m
- A chi is about 0.333 m, roughly 9% longer
- Area, volume and altitudes need other tools
FAQ
How many feet are in a metre?
One foot is exactly 0.3048 m under the 1959 international yard and pound agreement, so 1 m = 3.280839895 ft. This tool uses that standard factor rather than the 3.28 people round to in their heads.
How many feet is 1.8 metres?
1.8 × 3.280839895 ≈ 5.905512 ft, or about 5 feet 10.9 inches. Feet are subdivided into 12 inches, and this tool returns decimal feet, so you'll usually split the result again when quoting a height.
Is a foot the same as a Chinese chi?
No. A foot is 0.3048 m, while a chi is about 0.3333 m, roughly 9% longer. Foreign listings and aviation use feet, while Chinese furniture and traditional cloth sizes often use chi, so check the unit first.
Related tool：Meters to Feet