A feet to meters calculator converts a US/UK customary length to the metric meter using the exact factor 1 ft = 0.3048 m. Enter a value in feet and the calculator returns the meter equivalent.
Useful for height conversions on international forms, room and ceiling dimensions in metric construction specs, hiking and aviation altitude references (the US still quotes elevations in feet for flight levels), and reading any technical document that mixes the two systems.
Key takeaway
The foot-to-meter conversion is exact: 1 ft = 0.3048 m, defined by the 1959 international yard and pound agreement. For mental math, "a foot is roughly 0.3 meters" gets you within 1.6% of the right answer, fine for casual reference. The meter is just over 3 ft 3 in long; the foot is just under a third of a meter.
How it's calculated
The conversion:
meters = feet × 0.3048
The 0.3048 factor is exact because the foot is defined as exactly 12 inches, and the inch is defined as exactly 25.4 mm. So 12 × 0.0254 = 0.3048 m, with no rounding.
Aviation note: airplanes worldwide measure altitude in feet (flight levels at FL350 = 35,000 ft), even when the rest of the country is on metric. This is a regulatory artifact, most of global aviation standardized on US-customary altitude during the early jet age, and the cost of switching cockpit instruments and air-traffic-control procedures has kept the system in place. Russia and China use meters domestically but coordinate in feet for international airspace.
Source: NIST exact conversion, 1 ft = 0.3048 m
Examples
6 feet, typical adult height
- Length 6 ft
6 ft converts to 1.829 m, the cross-cultural marker of "tall" in the US and roughly the upper-mid range of European male height averages. Mental shortcut: 6 × 0.3 = 1.8 m (within 1.6%). The exact figure rounds to 1.83 m at most everyday precisions.
100 feet, football endzone-to-endzone (about)
- Length 100 ft
100 ft converts to 30.48 m. Comparable to the long axis of a basketball court (94 ft / 28.65 m) or about a third of a soccer field's length (100-110 m / 328-361 ft). Useful anchor for visualizing large indoor spaces.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert feet to meters?
Multiply by 0.3048 for the exact answer, or divide by 3.28 (or multiply by 0.3) for mental estimates. So 25 ft × 0.3048 = 7.62 m (or 25 × 0.3 = 7.5, ~1.6% low). The exact factor 0.3048 is what engineering and scientific work uses; the rougher estimates are plenty for casual height and room-size talk.
Why is 1 ft exactly 0.3048 m?
Because the foot was redefined as exactly 12 inches, and the inch was set at exactly 25.4 mm in the 1959 international yard and pound agreement. So 1 ft = 12 × 0.0254 m = 0.3048 m, exact by definition. Before 1959, US and UK feet differed by parts per million, which added up to noticeable errors in surveying and engineering.
How do I convert feet-and-inches to meters in one step?
Convert everything to inches first, then multiply by 0.0254. So 5'10" = 5 × 12 + 10 = 70 in × 0.0254 = 1.778 m. Or use the foot figure plus the inch fraction: 5 ft × 0.3048 = 1.524 m, plus 10 in × 0.0254 = 0.254 m, total 1.778 m. Both routes give the same answer.
Why does aviation use feet for altitude in metric countries?
Standardization. Global aviation grew up around US-built aircraft with feet-marked altimeters in the 1950s-60s. Switching cockpit instruments, air traffic procedures, and pilot training would cost billions and risk safety during the transition. China and Russia use meters domestically but file flight plans in feet for international airspace. ICAO recognizes both, with feet remaining the de facto global standard for cruise altitude.