Inches to Centimeters
One inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters, so converting is a single multiplication. Type any measurement to convert it — the field also accepts quarter steps for the fractions you see on a tape measure.
Your numbers
Result
- Unit
- centimeters
| Inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2.54 |
| 2 | 5.08 |
| 5 | 12.7 |
| 10 | 25.4 |
| 12 | 30.48 |
| 24 | 60.96 |
| 36 | 91.44 |
How to convert inches to cm
Multiply the number of inches by 2.54: 10 in × 2.54 = 25.4 cm. To go the other way, divide by 2.54. The relation is exact by definition, not rounded — an inch has been defined as precisely 2.54 cm since the 1959 international yard and pound agreement, which is why 12 in is exactly 30.48 cm.
Fractions of an inch
Tape measures divide the inch into halves, quarters, eighths and sixteenths. Convert the fraction to a decimal first, then multiply: 1/2 = 0.5, 1/4 = 0.25, 1/8 = 0.125, 1/16 = 0.0625. So 5 3/8 in = 5.375 in × 2.54 ≈ 13.65 cm. The value field steps in quarters to make this quick.
Where you need this
Screen and TV sizes (measured diagonally in inches), wheel and tire diameters, pipe and lumber dimensions, waist and inseam sizes on jeans, paper and photo formats, and any spec sheet written for the US market while the rest of the world builds in millimeters.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- International yard and pound agreement (1959) — 1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly
- NIST — Office of Weights and Measures
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