Feet to Inches Converter: Easy Measurement Conversion Tool
Convert feet to inches or inches to feet instantly. This free calculator uses the exact 12-inches-per-foot ratio for construction, height, and DIY measurements.
Measurement Converter
Convert between feet and inches by entering a value in either field. The conversion will happen automatically.
Visual Representation
Conversion Formulas
1 foot = 12 inches
1 inch = 1/12 foot (0.0833 feet)
Documentation
A feet to inches converter is a tool that turns a length given in feet into the same length in inches, or the other way around. The conversion relies on one fixed fact: one foot equals exactly twelve inches. Because that ratio never changes, converting between feet and inches is a matter of simple multiplication or division.
How to convert feet to inches
To convert a length from feet to inches, multiply the number of feet by 12.
Formula: Inches = Feet × 12
Example
Convert 5 feet to inches.
5 × 12 = 60
So 5 feet equals 60 inches.
How to convert inches to feet
To convert a length from inches to feet, divide the number of inches by 12.
Formula: Feet = Inches ÷ 12
Example
Convert 24 inches to feet.
24 ÷ 12 = 2
So 24 inches equals 2 feet.
Not every result comes out even. 30 inches divided by 12 equals 2.5 feet.
Converting mixed measurements
Heights and building measurements are often written as feet and inches together, such as 5 feet 3 inches. To turn that into a single number of inches, convert the feet part first, then add the leftover inches.
- Multiply the feet by 12: 5 × 12 = 60 inches.
- Add the extra inches: 60 + 3 = 63 inches.
To go the other way, divide the total inches by 12. The whole number is the feet, and what is left over is the inches.
63 ÷ 12 = 5, with a remainder of 3. So 63 inches equals 5 feet 3 inches.
Feet and inches conversion table
| Feet | Inches |
|---|---|
| 1 | 12 |
| 2 | 24 |
| 3 | 36 |
| 4 | 48 |
| 5 | 60 |
| 6 | 72 |
| 7 | 84 |
| 8 | 96 |
| 9 | 108 |
| 10 | 120 |
Common uses of feet and inches
Builders, architects, and contractors measure rooms, ceiling heights, and building materials in feet and inches. Interior designers use the same units to plan furniture layouts and flooring. In the United States and the United Kingdom, human height is usually recorded in feet and inches, such as 5 feet 10 inches. Woodworkers, tailors, and other crafters also use these units when a project calls for imperial measurements rather than metric ones.
History of the foot and inch
The foot as a unit of length goes back thousands of years and was originally based on the length of a human foot, so its size varied from place to place. Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome each used their own version, all somewhat different from the modern foot. The inch has a similar history: its name comes from the Latin word uncia, meaning "one twelfth," and early definitions described it as the width of a thumb or the length of three barleycorns laid end to end.
Different regions kept their own slightly different foot and inch for centuries. That changed in 1959, when the United States and several Commonwealth countries signed the International Yard and Pound Agreement. It fixed the yard at exactly 0.9144 meters, which makes the foot exactly 0.3048 meters and the inch exactly 2.54 centimeters. Every foot-to-inch conversion today uses that same 12-to-1 ratio, unchanged since ancient times, but now tied to a precise metric definition.
Feet and inches remain in everyday use in the United States. The United Kingdom and Canada also use them for some purposes, such as height and road distances, even though both countries officially switched to the metric system decades ago.
Frequently asked questions
How many inches are in a foot? Exactly 12 inches make up 1 foot. This ratio is fixed and does not change with the size of the measurement.
How do I convert feet to inches? Multiply the number of feet by 12. For example, 5 feet is 5 × 12, or 60 inches.
How do I convert inches to feet? Divide the number of inches by 12. For example, 24 inches is 24 ÷ 12, or 2 feet.
How many inches is 5 feet 3 inches? Multiply the 5 feet by 12 to get 60 inches, then add the 3 inches, for a total of 63 inches.
Is the foot the same length in the US and the UK? Yes. Since 1959, both countries have defined the foot as exactly 0.3048 meters and the inch as exactly 2.54 centimeters.
Why does a foot have 12 inches instead of 10? The 12-inch foot dates back to ancient number systems built around the number 12, which divides evenly by 2, 3, 4, and 6. That made it convenient for trade and construction long before the metric system existed.