Inches to Centimeters Conversion Calculator

What Is an Inch?

An inch is a unit of length equal to ¹/₁₂ of a foot or ¹/₃₆ of a yard. Because the international yard is legally defined to be equal to exactly 0.9144 meters, one inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters.^[1]

The inch is a US customary and imperial unit of length. Inches can be abbreviated as in; for example, 1 inch can be written as 1 in.

Inches can also be denoted using the ″ symbol, otherwise known as a double-prime. Often a double-quote (") is used instead of a double-prime for convenience. A double-prime is commonly used to express 1 in as 1″.

The standard ruler is 12 inches long and is a common tool for measuring a length in inches. Another frequently used tool to perform measurements in inches is a tape measure, which commonly comes in lengths from 6' - 35'. Other types of devices used to make measurements in inches include scales, calipers, measuring wheels, micrometers, yardsticks, and even lasers.

Learn more about inches.

What Is a Centimeter?

One centimeter is equal to one-hundredth (1/100) of a meter, which is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in ¹/_299,792,458 of a second. One centimeter is equal to 0.393701 inches.

The centimeter, or centimetre, is a multiple of the meter, which is the SI base unit for length. In the metric system, "centi" is the prefix for hundredths, or 10^-2. Centimeters can be abbreviated as cm; for example, 1 centimeter can be written as 1 cm.

Metric rulers typically have 30 cm, which are represented by 30 large tick marks. To get a rough idea of the actual length of a centimeter, a standard number 2 pencil is just about 1 cm thick.

Learn more about centimeters.