Inches to Centimeters Converter

Enter the values below in the tool’s input field to convert inches (in) to centimeters (cm) with automated conversion values, or use the swap to get inches from a given cm value.

Definition of Inch (in)

The inch (symbol: in or “) is a unit of length used in the imperial system and the United States customary systems of measurement. You see it on rulers and tape measures in countries like the USA, UK, and sometimes Canada (though Canada officially uses metric, imperial units still have a place in everyday life).

Historically, the inch has had some rather quaint definitions, like being the length of three dry, round barleycorns laid end-to-end. Thankfully, things are more standardized today. For a quick visual, the width of an adult human thumb near the knuckle is often cited as being roughly one inch wide. It’s a very practical unit for measuring smaller objects or dimensions like the length of a screw, the width of a photograph or very commonly screen sizes for your phone, tablet or TV.

Definition of Centimeter (cm)

The centimeter is a unit of length that’s part of the International System of Units (SI) which is used by almost every country in the world. If you’re from almost anywhere outside the US, you use centimeters much more frequently in everyday life where unit values are involved.

One centimeter is defined as one-hundredth of a meter (the prefix “centi-” means one hundredth). To get a mental image of a centimeter, think about the width of a standard pencil or the thickness of an average person’s pinky fingernail. Centimeters are great for measuring everyday objects with a good degree of precision especially when dimensions are small like the dimensions of a passport photo, the length of a small insect or the width of a piece of paper. Clothing sizes in many parts of the world are also measured in centimeters.

How Many Centimeters in an Inch?

According to a precise and internationally agreed-upon value: 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

It’s the exact definition for conversion. Feed it into your memory, jot it down somewhere, because this figure 2.54 is the cornerstone of every single inch-to-centimeter conversion you’ll ever need to do.

With the above value in mind, the mathematical formula to convert inches to cm is:

Length in Centimeters (cm) = Length in Inches (in) × 2.54

So, if you have a measurement in inches and want to express that same length in centimeters, all you need to do is multiply the inch unit value by 2.54.

Let’s take an example, imagine you’ve measured a piece of wood, and it’s 10 inches long. To find its length in cm, you would calculate:

10 in × 2.54 = 25.4 cm

This inch to centimeter formula works perfectly for any value in inches, be it a whole number, a decimal, or a fraction (once you convert the fraction to a decimal).

How to Convert Inches to Centimeters

Knowing the manual process is great for grasping the concept. Here’s a step-by-step guide to make it clear when converting from inches to centimeters:

• The first thing you need is the length you wish to convert. Let’s say, for this example, you’ve measured the width of a book, and it turns out to be 8 inches wide.
• Now, using the fundamental factor that 1 inch is precisely equal to 2.54 centimeters, perform the multiplication. In our book example, 8 inches × 2.54 cm/inch = 20.32 cm. The “cm/inch” indicates “centimeters per inch,” which is our conversion factor.

Your 8-inch wide book is equivalent to 20.32 centimeters wide. You can use this method for any number of inches you encounter to perform manual calculations no matter if you’re dealing with tiny fractions of an inch or very long lengths otherwise use our in to cm conversion tool for instant automatic results, especially when the given value is very large and manual maths becomes very complex.

Inch to Centimeter Conversion Chart or Table

Here is a detailed inches to centimeters conversion chart, covering a broader range of common inch values from 1 inch up to 100 inches, including key foot and yard conversions. With this table, you can get the already calculated values of your demand without having to find it using tool or by yourself.

Examples of Converting Inches to cm

Let’s run through a couple of common scenarios which are the best scenarios to convert inches to centimeters:

Example 1: Figure Out TV Screen Size

You’re browsing online for a new television, and it’s advertised as having a 65-inch screen. Most international specifications, however, might list this in centimeters. So, what’s that diagonal screen size in cm?

• Measurement in inches = 65 in
• Apply the formula: Centimeters = Inches × 2.54
• Perform the calculation: 65 × 2.54 = 165.1 cm

So, that 65-inch TV screen you are after measures 165.1 centimeters diagonally.

Example 2: Fabric Measurement for a Sewing Project

Let’s say you’re following a sewing pattern that requires a piece of fabric 45 inches long. The fabric store you’re at measures and sells fabric by the centimeter. How much fabric do you need in cm?

• Measurement in inches = 45 in
• Apply the formula: Centimeters = inches × 2.54
• Perform the calculation: 45 × 2.54 = 114.3 cm

You’ll need to ask for 114.3 centimeters of fabric for your project.

Example 3: Height Conversion

Someone tells you they are 5 feet 10 inches tall. How tall is that in centimeters? First, convert the total height to inches (5 feet × 12 inches/foot + 10 inches = 60 inches + 10 inches = 70 inches).

• Measurement in inches = 70 in
• Apply the formula: Centimeters = inches × 2.54
• Perform the calculation: 70 × 2.54 = 177.8 cm

So, a person who is 5 feet 10 inches tall is 177.8 centimeters tall.

The Importance of Inches to Centimeters Conversion

In today’s globalized world, it’s essential to get the hang of both the imperial and metric systems of measurement as they’re very helpful in many projects and daily life activities, if not necessary. Here are a few good reasons why converting inches to centimeters is important:

• International Trade and Online Shopping: When buying products from other countries, especially online, you’ll often find the dimensions in metric units, and that’s where precise conversion helps to proceed correctly.
• Science, Engineering, and Technical Fields: The global scientific community and most engineering disciplines use the metric system (SI units) for consistency, precision, and ease of international collaboration.
• DIY Projects, Crafting, and Construction: When working with plans or instructions, especially those sourced internationally or perhaps from older publications involving values in inch. Though your available tools or materials are probably designed or sold in centimeters. Accurate in to cm conversion is key to project success in this case.
• Travel and Tourism: When you travel to most parts of the world other than the U.S., you’ll see mostly metric measurements as the standard unit system for everything from road distances (kilometers) and liquid volumes (liters) to everyday object lengths (centimeters and meters).
• Product Specifications: A lot of product specs, especially electronics (like screen sizes, device dimensions) or even clothing sizes in different regions can be listed in either inches or centimeters.
• Education and General Knowledge: Learning about different systems of measurement and how to convert between them is part of a well-rounded education and leads to a better understanding of global standards.

In short, the conversion between inches and centimeters is a bridge in the measurement language that eliminates potential confusion and makes sure everyone, no matter which system they use on a normal day, is on the same page regarding length and distance.

History of Inches and Centimeters

We often take for granted the units of measurement we use in our daily lives, but they have a rich and varied history. The inch as we mentioned earlier has its roots in old English units. Its definition was often pragmatically (and somewhat variably) linked to human body parts like the width of a man’s thumb at the knuckle or to natural objects like the length of three barleycorns. Over the centuries, these definitions were refined and standardized particularly within the British Imperial System, and later adopted into the United States customary system.

The centimeter, though, is a unit of a far more systematic and deliberately scientific approach to measurement. It was conceived during the chaotic times of the French Revolution in the late 18th century when there was a big intellectual and societal push to create a system of weights and measures that was rational and universal. The meter was defined as the base unit of length (its original definition being one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator along the meridian passing through Paris). The centimeter was then simply and logically defined as one-hundredth of this meter. The entire metric system was designed to be easy to use, scalable, and unambiguous for international communication.

Today, while the metric system is the standard for most of the world, the imperial system and thus the inch still hold sway and is in common use, especially in the US. This coexistence of two major measurement systems is why knowing conversions like inches to centimeters is not just useful but often necessary.