How this works
1 foot = 0.3048 metres exactly (12 × 0.0254). Use it for converting heights from US/UK measurements (e.g. an American giving their height as "6 feet"), aircraft altitude (still quoted in feet worldwide for aviation), and any architectural or interior measurement that crosses the imperial/metric boundary.
The formula
For mental conversion, multiply feet by 0.3 — gives a quick estimate within ~1.6%. So 6 ft ≈ 1.8 m (actual 1.83), 10 ft ≈ 3 m (actual 3.05). For combined feet-and-inches, convert both to inches first, then multiply by 0.0254 for metres directly.
Example calculation
- 1 ft = 0.305 m
- 6 ft = 1.829 m (a tall person)
- 10 ft = 3.048 m (≈ ceiling height)
- 35,000 ft = 10,668 m (cruising altitude)
Frequently asked questions
Why is aviation altitude still quoted in feet?
International convention. ICAO standard altitude is feet for flight levels, even though most countries use metric for everything else. The exceptions — Russia, China, and a handful of others — historically used metres but ICAO has been pushing toward worldwide feet for separation safety. Most pilots and ATC controllers can convert in their head: 1,000 ft ≈ 305 m.
What's '5 foot 10' in metres?
5 ft 10 in = (5 × 12 + 10) × 0.0254 = 70 × 0.0254 = 1.778 m, usually rounded to 1.78 m. The pattern: convert everything to inches first (×12 for feet, then add the inch component), then multiply by 0.0254 for metres in one step.