How this works
1 metre ≈ 3.28084 feet (the reciprocal of the exact 0.3048 m-per-foot factor). Useful when reading European architectural plans, mountain heights given in metres, or when an American friend asks how tall the door of your apartment building is. The calculator above shows the precise figure plus every other common length unit.
The formula
For a quick mental estimate, multiply metres by 3.3 — gives a result within ~0.6%. So 1.78 m ≈ 5.87 ft, or "just under 6 feet". To split the result into feet-and-inches, take the whole-number feet, then multiply the fractional part by 12 to get the leftover inches.
Example calculation
- 1 m = 3.281 ft
- 1.75 m = 5.74 ft (≈ 5 ft 9 in)
- 3 m = 9.843 ft (≈ ceiling height)
- 8,849 m = 29,032 ft (Mt Everest)
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert metres to feet-and-inches together?
Multiply by 3.28084 to get total feet, take the whole number for the feet part, multiply the decimal by 12 for inches. 1.80 m × 3.28084 = 5.9055 ft → 5 ft + (0.9055 × 12) = 5 ft + 10.87 in → 5 ft 10.87 in. Or convert metres to inches directly (× 39.37) then split: 1.80 m × 39.37 = 70.87 in = 5 ft 10.87 in.
Is the "international foot" the same as the "survey foot"?
Almost — but not exactly. The international foot (1959) is exactly 0.3048 m. The US survey foot was 1200/3937 m ≈ 0.30480061 m, about 2 ppm longer. The difference reaches a metre over 500 km, which mattered for old US land surveys. The US officially retired the survey foot at the end of 2022, so for any modern use, the international foot is correct.