Inches to centimetres
Multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimetres.
10 in = 25.4 cm
How to convert inches to centimetres
The centimetre is one hundredth of a metre (10⁻² m). The inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres (0.0254 m), by the 1959 international agreement.
Worked example — 10 in: 10 × 2.54 = 25.4 cm.
Inches to centimetres table
| Inches | Centimetres |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 2.54 cm |
| 2 in | 5.08 cm |
| 4 in | 10.16 cm |
| 6 in | 15.24 cm |
| 10 in | 25.4 cm |
| 12 in | 30.48 cm |
| 24 in | 60.96 cm |
| 36 in | 91.44 cm |
| 40 in | 101.6 cm |
Reverse and related
About inches and centimetres
Inch (in)
1 in = 2.54 cmDefinition. Exactly 2.54 centimetres (0.0254 m), by the 1959 international agreement
History and origin
The inch takes its name from the Latin uncia, a twelfth part, and has always been one twelfth of a foot. The 1959 agreement fixed it at exactly 2.54 centimetres.
Current use
Inches are used for screen and TV sizes worldwide, and in the United States for height, lumber and hardware.
Source: International Yard and Pound Agreement (1959); NIST Handbook 44, App. C
Centimetre (cm)
1 cm = 0.393701 inDefinition. One hundredth of a metre (10⁻² m)
History and origin
The centimetre is one hundredth of a metre, part of the decimal metric system introduced in France in the 1790s. It was the base length of the older centimetre-gram-second system before the metre-kilogram-second system prevailed.
Current use
Centimetres are the everyday metric unit for body height, paper and screen sizes, and clothing measurements.
Source: BIPM, The International System of Units (SI), 9th ed. (2019)
Where people use this
Inches: screen sizes, height, lumber and hardware. Centimetres: height, paper and screen sizes, clothing measurements. A 15-inch laptop screen is about 38 cm.
Every value is carried to full double precision; the display is rounded.
Sources: BIPM, The International System of Units (SI), 9th ed. (2019); International Yard and Pound Agreement (1959); NIST Handbook 44, App. C.
Questions people ask
How many cm is 1 inch?
One inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres. To convert inches to cm, multiply by 2.54.
How many cm is 12 inches?
12 inches, which is one foot, is 30.48 cm.
How many cm is 6 inches?
6 inches is 15.24 cm, and 8 inches is 20.32 cm.
What is a 15-inch screen in cm?
A 15-inch measurement is about 38 cm; screen sizes are measured on the diagonal.
How many cm is 5 feet 9 inches?
5 ft 9 in is 69 inches, which is about 175 cm.