How many centimeters are there in an inch? Use this online tool to quickly convert from inches to centimeters (inch to cm).
Read: Convert from Centimeters to Inches
What is a Centimeter?
A centimeter (cm) is a unit of length in the metric system, which is the standard system of measurement used by most countries. One centimeter is one hundredth of a meter (1/100 meters), which is the base unit of length in the metric system.
Here are some key facts about centimeters:
- The centimeter is abbreviated as “cm” after the number. For example – 5 cm.
- There are 10 millimeters in 1 centimeter.
- There are 100 centimeters in 1 meter.
- Centimeters are often used to measure small lengths, such as the diameter of coins, the height of plants, the length of pens/pencils, etc.
- Other common uses include measuring dimensions in sewing patterns, modeling (scale models), schematics, drawings, etc.
- To convert centimeters to inches, divide centimeters by 2.54. For example, 5 cm divided by 2.54 is approximately 1.97 inches.
- To convert centimeters to feet, divide centimeters by 30.48.
- The centimeter was historically based on the circumference of Earth around the poles divided into 40,000,000 parts.
- The centimeter is one of the most commonly used units of measurement for length across the world today, along with meters.
What is an Inch?
An inch (symbol: in) is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems of measurement. Historically, an inch was defined as the width of a man’s thumb, but it has since been standardized to an exact measurement. One inch is defined as exactly 25.4 millimeters or 2.54 centimeters.
The inch is commonly used in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It is widely used for specifying the dimensions of various items such as electronic screen sizes, the size of screws and nails, and the height of a person. An inch is also commonly used to measure rainfall as reported in weather forecasts.
How Many Inches in a Centimeter?
There are 0.393701 inches in 1 centimeter. This conversion is based on the exact definition that 1 inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters. To find the number of inches in a centimeter, you would divide 1 by 2.54.
Difference Between Centimeters and Inches
The main difference between centimeters and inches lies in their respective units of length and the systems to which they belong:
Units of Measurement:
- Centimeters are part of the metric system, where 1 centimeter is equal to 0.01 meters.
- Inches are part of the imperial and US customary systems, where 1 inch is defined as exactly 2.54 centimeters.
Usage:
- Centimeters are commonly used in most countries around the world as a standard unit of length for measurements, especially in scientific, engineering, and everyday contexts.
- Inches are primarily used in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada for various measurements, including the dimensions of smaller items, screen sizes, and other applications.
Divisions:
- In the metric system, centimeters are further divided into millimeters, with 1 centimeter equaling 10 millimeters.
- In the imperial system, inches are divided into fractions, such as halves, quarters, eighths, and sixteenths.
Conversion:
- The conversion factor between centimeters and inches is 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters. This means that 1 inch is equivalent to 2.54 centimeters.
Centimeters and inches are units of length measurement in different systems, and their usage and subdivisions reflect the differences between the metric and imperial systems of measurement.
How to Convert Inches to Centimeters?
To convert inches to centimeters, you can use the following formula:
1 inch = 2.54 cm
Simply multiply the number of centimeters by 2.54 to obtain the equivalent length in inches. This conversion factor is based on the exact relationship where 1 inch equals 2.54 cm.
Task:
For example, if you have 100 inches and you want to convert it to centimeters, you would use the formula:
Formula:
1 inch = 2.54 cm
Calculation:
100 inches = 2.54 * 100 centimeters
So, 100 inches is equal to 254 centimeters.
Inches to Centimeters Conversion Table
Here’s a table that converts inches to centimeters, ranging from 1 to 1000 inches, with intervals of 10 and 100, up to 6 decimal places:
| Inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2.540000 |
| 2 | 5.080000 |
| 3 | 7.620000 |
| 4 | 10.160000 |
| 5 | 12.700000 |
| 6 | 15.240000 |
| 7 | 17.780000 |
| 8 | 20.320000 |
| 9 | 22.860000 |
| 10 | 25.400000 |
| 20 | 50.800000 |
| 30 | 76.200000 |
| 40 | 101.600000 |
| 50 | 127.000000 |
| 60 | 152.400000 |
| 70 | 177.800000 |
| 80 | 203.200000 |
| 90 | 228.600000 |
| 100 | 254.000000 |
| 200 | 508.000000 |
| 300 | 762.000000 |
| 400 | 1016.000000 |
| 500 | 1270.000000 |
| 600 | 1524.000000 |
| 700 | 1778.000000 |
| 800 | 2032.000000 |
| 900 | 2286.000000 |
| 1000 | 2540.000000 |
References:
https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/metric-si/si-units