Inch to Centimeter Converter
Conversion Formula
Factor
Formula
About Inch
The inch is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems. It is defined as exactly 2.54 centimeters.
Facts About Inches
- 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
- 1 inch = 25.4 millimeters
- 12 inches = 1 foot
- 36 inches = 1 yard
Common Uses
- Screen sizes (TVs, monitors, phones)
- Tire and wheel sizes
- Construction lumber (2x4, etc.)
- Paper sizes (US Letter = 8.5 x 11 inches)
- Rainfall measurements in the US
History
The inch has been used since ancient times. The word "inch" derives from the Latin word "uncia," meaning "one-twelfth," which was also the name of a Roman unit. The inch was originally defined as the width of a man's thumb at the base of the nail.
In 1959, the international yard and pound agreement defined the inch as exactly 25.4 millimeters (2.54 centimeters), establishing a standard conversion between imperial and metric systems. This definition is now used universally in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
About Centimeter
The centimeter is a unit of length equal to one-hundredth of a meter. It is commonly used for everyday measurements.
Facts About Centimeters
- 1 centimeter = 0.01 meters
- 1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
- 1 centimeter ≈ 0.393701 inches
- 100 centimeters = 1 meter
Common Uses
- Measuring body height
- Clothing sizes
- Small object dimensions
- Rainfall measurements
- Medical measurements
History
The centimeter was introduced as part of the metric system in 1795 during the French Revolution. The prefix "centi-" comes from the Latin word "centum," meaning one hundred. The centimeter became widely used as a practical unit for everyday measurements, especially for human height and small objects.
The centimeter was also the base unit of length in the centimeter-gram-second (CGS) system of units, which was widely used in scientific work before the adoption of the International System of Units (SI).
Conversion Table
Inch(in) | Centimeter(cm) |
|---|---|
1 | 2.54 |
2 | 5.08 |
3 | 7.62 |
4 | 10.16 |
5 | 12.7 |
6 | 15.24 |
7 | 17.78 |
8 | 20.32 |
9 | 22.86 |
10 | 25.4 |
Conversion Examples
Convert 1 Inch to Centimeter
- Conversion Factor: 1 in = 2.54 cm
- Conversion Formula: cm = in × 2.54
- Calculation: 1 in × 2.54 = 2.54 cm
Convert 10 Inch to Centimeter
- Conversion Factor: 1 in = 2.54 cm
- Conversion Formula: cm = in × 2.54
- Calculation: 10 in × 2.54 = 25.4 cm
Convert 100 Inch to Centimeter
- Conversion Factor: 1 in = 2.54 cm
- Conversion Formula: cm = in × 2.54
- Calculation: 100 in × 2.54 = 254 cm
Convert 1,000 Inch to Centimeter
- Conversion Factor: 1 in = 2.54 cm
- Conversion Formula: cm = in × 2.54
- Calculation: 1,000 in × 2.54 = 2,540 cm