Understanding different units of measurement is essential for many things, from home improvement projects to scientific research. Converting between feet and millimeters is a common task, especially since feet (ft) are part of the US customary system, while millimeters (mm) are part of the metric system.
What are feet and millimeters?
Let’s take a closer look at the units we’re converting.
What is a foot?
The foot (ft) is a unit of length in the imperial and U.S. customary measurement systems. One foot equals exactly 0.3048 meters. Interestingly, the length of a foot used to be based on, well, the length of a human foot. Because feet come in different sizes, the measurement has since been standardized.
Think of it this way: the average women’s shoe size is a U.S. size 8, which is 9 5/8 inches long. That’s just a hair over three-quarters of a foot.
What is a millimeter?
The millimeter (mm) is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). One millimeter equals 1/1000 of a meter. The prefix “milli-” means 1/1000, so a millimeter is one-thousandth of a meter.
How to convert feet to millimeters
The key to converting feet to millimeters is knowing the conversion factor:
1 foot (ft) = 304.8 millimeters (mm)
To convert feet to millimeters, use the following formula:
millimeters = feet 304.8
For example, let’s convert 5 feet to millimeters:
5 ft = 5 304.8 mm = 1524 mm
Therefore, 5 feet is equal to 1524 millimeters.
Why do feet and millimeters matter?
Feet and millimeters are essential units of measurement in construction, engineering, and everyday life. Knowing how to convert between them is useful in many situations.
The United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom commonly use feet for various measurements. However, most of the world uses the metric system. Millimeters are a standard unit in that system.
Even in countries that primarily use feet, many technical fields rely on millimeters for precision and compatibility with international standards.
The Bottom Line
There are 304.8 millimeters in one foot. Remembering that conversion factor is the key to being able to switch between these two units of measurement.
Whether you’re working on a DIY project or a scientific calculation, knowing how to convert feet to millimeters can help you get accurate measurements.