Centimeter Calculator

Convert centimeters to and from metric and imperial length units with precision

Length Conversion

cm

Base unit of the metric system (1/100 meter)

cm

Metric unit

Conversion Result

1
Centimeters (cm)
1
Centimeters (cm)

Conversion Factor: 1 cm = 1 cm

Formula: cm = cm ÷ 1

Common Length Examples

All Unit Conversions

Metric Units
Millimeters10 mm
Centimeters1 cm
Meters0.01 m
Kilometers0.00001 km
Imperial Units
Inches0.393701 in
Feet0.032808 ft
Yards0.010936 yd
Miles0.000006 mi
Small Units
Micrometers10,000 μm
Nanometers1.000e+7 nm

Quick Reference

1 cm =10 mm
1 m =100 cm
1 km =100,000 cm
1 inch =2.54 cm
1 foot =30.48 cm
1 yard =91.44 cm
1 mile =160,934.4 cm

Centimeter Facts

📏

Centimeter means "one hundredth of a meter"

🔢

Symbol: cm (no period after cm)

🌍

Part of the metric system used worldwide

📐

Common in everyday measurements

🔬

Practical for small to medium measurements

Usage Tips

Use cm for height, width, and length measurements

Remember: 1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly

10 mm = 1 cm for small measurements

Use scientific notation for very large/small values

Understanding the Centimeter

What is a Centimeter?

A centimeter (cm) is a unit of length in the metric system that equals one hundredth of a meter (0.01 m). It's commonly used for everyday measurements like height, width, and dimensions of objects.

Metric Relationships

  • 1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
  • 100 centimeters = 1 meter
  • 100,000 centimeters = 1 kilometer

Imperial Conversions

Converting between metric and imperial units is common in many applications. Here are the key relationships:

1 inch = 2.54 cm

Exact conversion factor

1 foot = 30.48 cm

12 inches × 2.54

Example Conversions

Metric Examples

10 miles to centimeters

10 miles × 160,934.4 cm/mile

= 1,609,344 cm

5 feet to centimeters

5 ft × 30.48 cm/ft

= 152.4 cm

Practical Examples

A4 Paper Dimensions

Width: 21 cm (8.27 inches)

Height: 29.7 cm (11.69 inches)

Average Human Height

170 cm = 5 feet 7 inches

Common adult height measurement