Centimeters (cm) to Inches (in) Conversion
Centimeters
The centimetre is a unit of length equal to one hundredth of a metre (10⁻² m), derived using the SI prefix centi- (from Latin centum, meaning hundred). It is widely used in everyday measurement of body height, garment sizing, and small objects, and is the standard unit in medicine, tailoring, and interior design. In the CGS (centimetre-gram-second) system that preceded modern SI, the centimetre served as the fundamental unit of length, giving rise to derived units such as the dyne and erg still encountered in physics literature.
Inches
The inch is a unit of length equal to exactly 25.4 millimetres, standardised under the international yard and pound agreement of 1959. It is the standard unit for screen diagonal measurements in consumer electronics, tire widths, pipe diameters in plumbing, and calibre in firearms. In typography, one inch contains exactly 72 PostScript points, fundamental to digital print and graphic design.
| Centimeters (cm) | Inches (in) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 cm | 0.0394 in |
| 1 cm | 0.3937 in |
| 2 cm | 0.7874 in |
| 3 cm | 1.1811 in |
| 5 cm | 1.9685 in |
| 10 cm | 3.937 in |
| 20 cm | 7.874 in |
| 30 cm | 11.811 in |
| 50 cm | 19.685 in |
| 100 cm | 39.3701 in |
| 1000 cm | 393.7008 in |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many inches are in 1 centimeters?
1 centimeters (cm) is exactly 0.393701 inches (in).
How do I convert centimeters to inches?
Multiply the value in centimeters by 0.393701 to get the result in inches. Or use the converter above — type any number and see the result instantly.
How do I convert centimetres to inches, and what is the exact value?
Divide centimetres by 2.54 to get inches. The conversion is exact: 1 inch = 2.54 cm by international definition since 1959, making the factor one of the few truly exact unit conversions. Quick references: 10 cm = 3.937 in, 15 cm = 5.906 in, 30 cm = 11.811 in (roughly one foot), 100 cm = 39.370 in. Fast mental trick: divide by 2.5 for an approximation — accurate to within 1.6% for all values.
Why do screens and televisions still use inches even in metric countries?
Screen sizes (TVs, monitors, smartphones) are measured diagonally in inches because the convention was set by American manufacturers in the 1940s–50s, before metric adoption spread globally, and the industry has never changed it. "65-inch TV" is a universal shorthand regardless of country. Clothing similarly inherited inch-based sizing from US and UK garment industries. Human height in feet and inches also persists socially in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia — making cm-to-inches one of the most searched length conversions worldwide.