How to Convert Feet to Meters
Converting feet to meters is an essential skill for anyone working across the imperial and metric measurement systems. The foot (ft) is an imperial unit of length widely used in the United States, United Kingdom, and a handful of other countries for measuring height, room dimensions, and short distances. The meter (m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI) and is used by the vast majority of the world for scientific, industrial, and everyday measurements. One foot equals exactly 0.3048 meters, a definition established by international agreement in 1959. This conversion is critical in international trade, engineering projects with global teams, academic research, and sports where events are measured in meters. Whether you are converting your height for a passport application, translating architectural blueprints for an overseas client, or understanding metric race distances, a reliable feet-to-meters converter ensures accuracy. Our tool delivers precise results instantly, eliminating manual calculation errors and saving valuable time.
Conversion Formula
To convert feet to meters, multiply the length in feet by 0.3048. This conversion factor is exact, as the international foot is defined as precisely 0.3048 meters. This means there is no rounding involved in the base conversion factor itself, making feet-to-meters one of the most precise unit conversions available.
Meters = Feet × 0.3048
6 feet = 1.8288 meters
Step-by-Step Example
To convert 6 feet to meters:
1. Start with the value: 6 feet
2. Multiply by the conversion factor: 6 × 0.3048
3. Calculate: 6 × 0.3048 = 1.8288
4. Result: 6 feet = 1.8288 meters
Six feet is a common height reference, equivalent to approximately 1.83 meters.
Understanding Feet and Meters
What is a Foot?
The foot has ancient origins, historically based on the length of a human foot. Different civilizations had varying definitions, from the Roman "pes" (about 11.65 inches) to the Greek "pous." The modern international foot was standardized in 1959 through an international agreement between six English-speaking nations, defining it as exactly 0.3048 meters (or 12 inches of 25.4 mm each). The foot remains a primary unit of measurement in the United States and is still commonly used in the United Kingdom, Canada, and other nations for everyday height and distance measurements.
What is a Meter?
The meter was originally defined in 1793 during the French Revolution as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a meridian through Paris. It was refined over the centuries, first using a platinum-iridium bar as a reference, then in terms of wavelengths of light, and since 1983, it has been defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. The meter became the foundation of the metric system and is now used as the standard unit of length by virtually every country in the world for scientific and most everyday purposes.
Practical Applications
Feet to meters conversion is frequently required for international sports competitions where track and field events are measured in meters. Construction companies working on international projects need to convert architectural plans from imperial to metric. Scientists and researchers must present measurements in SI units for academic publications. Travelers from the US often need to convert their height to meters when filling out international documents. Aviation professionals convert altitude readings, and shipping companies convert cargo dimensions for international freight.
Tips and Common Mistakes
A common mistake is using an imprecise conversion factor like 0.30 or 0.31 instead of the exact 0.3048. Another error is confusing feet with inches when inputting values, especially when dealing with mixed measurements like 5 feet 10 inches. Remember to first convert everything to feet (5 feet 10 inches = 5.8333 feet) before multiplying by 0.3048. For quick mental math, you can divide by 3.3 or multiply by 0.3 and add a small correction. Also, avoid confusing linear feet with square feet, as area conversion requires squaring the factor.
Frequently Asked Questions
First convert 5 feet 10 inches to decimal feet: 5 + (10/12) = 5.8333 feet. Then multiply by 0.3048: 5.8333 × 0.3048 = 1.778 meters, or approximately 1.78 meters. This is a very common height that many people need to convert for international documents or medical records.