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Metres to inches

Multiply metres by 39.3701 to get inches.

1 m = 39.3701 inBIPM SI · NIST HB 44
m
78.7402in

2 m = 78.7402 in

How to convert metres to inches

The inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres (0.0254 m), by the 1959 international agreement. 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.

Worked example — 2 m: 2 × 39.3701 = 78.7402 in.

Metres to inches table

Common conversions. The reverse table is on inches to metres.
MetresInches
0.5 m19.685 in
1 m39.3701 in
1.5 m59.0551 in
1.8 m70.8661 in
2 m78.7402 in
3 m118.1102 in
5 m196.8504 in
10 m393.7008 in
100 m3,937.0079 in

Reverse and related

About metres and inches

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)

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

Where people use this

Metres: room and building dimensions, sports fields, fabric and rope. Inches: screen sizes, height, lumber and hardware. 1 metre is about 39.4 inches.

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 in = 0.0254 m, so 1 m = 1 ÷ 0.0254 = 39.3701 in.

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

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

Questions people ask

How many inches is 1 metre?

One metre is about 39.37 inches.

How many inches is 2 m?

2 metres is about 78.7 inches.

How many metres is 100 inches?

100 inches is about 2.54 metres.

All metre conversions