Length unit converter
Convert millimetres, centimetres, metres and kilometres, as well as inches, feet and miles. The calculator shows the multiplier, so the whole sum is visible.
1 metre (m) is 100 centimetre (cm).
Formula
x is the input value and k the multiplier between the units. Every unit is converted into metres first.
How we got there
The multiplier is the ratio of the two units. From metres to centimetres it is 100, because a metre is a hundred times longer.
How to convert length units by hand
- Convert the value into metres
The metre is the base unit. 1 km = 1000 m, 1 cm = 0.01 m, 1 inch = 0.0254 m.
- Divide by the target unit
To get centimetres, divide the number of metres by 0.01 — that is, multiply by 100.
- Check the direction
Converting to a smaller unit always makes the number bigger. If it got smaller, the multiplier was used the wrong way round.
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Frequently asked questions
A hundred. So converting metres to centimetres means multiplying by 100.
Exactly 0.0254 metres, or 2.54 centimetres.
About 1.609 kilometres — the calculator uses the exact value of 1609.344 metres.
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