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UnitCalculators.com

Inches to metres

Multiply inches by 0.0254 to get metres.

1 in = 0.0254 mNIST HB 44 · BIPM SI
in
0.6096m

24 in = 0.6096 m

How to convert inches to metres

The metre is the SI base unit of length, defined since 1983 by fixing the speed of light at exactly 299 792 458 m/s. The inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres (0.0254 m), by the 1959 international agreement.

Worked example — 24 in: 24 × 0.0254 = 0.6096 m.

Inches to metres table

Common conversions. The reverse table is on metres to inches.
InchesMetres
1 in0.0254 m
5 in0.127 m
10 in0.254 m
12 in0.3048 m
24 in0.6096 m
36 in0.9144 m
50 in1.27 m
72 in1.8288 m
100 in2.54 m

Reverse and related

About inches and metres

Inch (in)

1 in = 0.0254 m

Definition. Exactly 2.54 centimetres (0.0254 m), by the 1959 international agreement

History and origin

The inch takes its name from the Latin uncia, a twelfth part, and has always been one twelfth of a foot. The 1959 agreement fixed it at exactly 2.54 centimetres.

Current use

Inches are used for screen and TV sizes worldwide, and in the United States for height, lumber and hardware.

Source: International Yard and Pound Agreement (1959); NIST Handbook 44, App. C

Metre (m)

1 m = 39.3701 in

Definition. The SI base unit of length, defined since 1983 by fixing the speed of light at exactly 299 792 458 m/s

History and origin

The metre was defined in 1793 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole, later realised as a platinum bar. Since 1983 it has been defined by fixing the speed of light at exactly 299 792 458 metres per second, tying it to a constant of nature rather than an object.

Current use

The metre is the base unit of length across the metric world, used for everything from building plans to sports fields; the United States is the main country that still measures everyday length in feet and inches.

Source: BIPM, The International System of Units (SI), 9th ed. (2019)

Where people use this

Inches: screen sizes, height, lumber and hardware. Metres: room and building dimensions, sports fields, fabric and rope. 1 inch is exactly 0.0254 metres.

How we know this is right
The factor is fixed by the standards that define the units, not chosen — so it is exact, not a measurement:
1 m = 39.37007874 in, so 1 in = 1 ÷ 39.37007874 = 0.0254 m.

Every value is carried to full double precision; the display is rounded.

Sources: BIPM, The International System of Units (SI), 9th ed. (2019); International Yard and Pound Agreement (1959); NIST Handbook 44, App. C.

Questions people ask

How many metres is 1 inch?

One inch is exactly 0.0254 metres (2.54 cm). To convert inches to metres, multiply by 0.0254.

How many metres is 36 inches?

36 inches, which is one yard, is about 0.914 metres.

How many metres is 100 inches?

100 inches is exactly 2.54 metres.

All inch conversions