feet to meters formula
To convert feet to meters, multiply the number of feet by 0.3048. In symbols: m = ft × 0.3048.
One foot equals 0.3048 meters, and one meter equals 3.28083989501 feet. Since 1959 one international foot equals exactly 0.3048 meters, so every foot to meter result here is exact.
Worked example
Suppose you have 6 feet and need the answer in meters.
- Write the formula: m = ft × 0.3048.
- Put in the number: 6 × 0.3048 = 1.8288.
- Round to suit the job. 1.829 m is accurate enough for most everyday uses.
So 6 ft is 1.8288 m. To check, convert back: 1.8288 m is 6 ft.
Common feet to meters values
| feet (ft) | meters (m) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.3048 |
| 2 | 0.6096 |
| 5 | 1.524 |
| 10 | 3.048 |
| 20 | 6.096 |
| 50 | 15.24 |
| 100 | 30.48 |
Reference points
Some familiar amounts in feet, converted to meters:
- 5 ft, a short adult height: 1.524 m
- 6 ft, a tall adult: 1.8288 m
- 30 ft, a two-storey building height: 9.144 m
- 1,000 ft, a small hill: 304.8 m
Where you will use it
Building plans, aviation altitudes, room sizes and ship drafts are in feet in the US and UK, and in meters elsewhere. Pilots, surveyors and house hunters convert between the two all the time.
Quick mental math
Multiply by 0.3 and add 2 percent. For flights, 35,000 feet is about 10.7 km. Rule of thumb: multiply by 0.3. For 6 ft this gives 1.8 m against the exact 1.829, an error of 1.6 percent.
Going the other way
Need the reverse? Use the meters to feet converter. For comparison, 1 m is 3.2808399 ft. To compare every length unit at once, open the length converter.
Everything runs in your browser. Type any number in the box above and the result updates as you type.