Whether you’re an engineer working on a project or someone who just wants to compare measurements, unit conversion is necessary. Accurate conversions are essential so that you can avoid errors and ensure compatibility between different systems of measurement.
This article will show you how to convert 17.5 centimeters to inches, offering a clear and concise explanation of the underlying principles and the final conversion value. This is especially useful when you are comparing metric and imperial measurements or working with products that use different units.
Centimeters and inches: what are they?
What is a centimeter?
A centimeter (cm) is a unit of length in the metric system. The prefix “centi-” tells you that a centimeter is one-hundredth of a meter. Centimeters are related to other metric measures like millimeters and meters.
What is an inch?
An inch (in) is a unit of length in both the imperial and US customary measurement systems. Inches are commonly used in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Inches are related to other customary measures like feet and yards.
The Conversion Formula and Factor
Here’s the math you need to convert centimeters to inches:
The Formula: Centimeters to Inches
To convert from centimeters to inches, you’ll use this formula:
inches = centimeters ÷ 2.54
Since 1 inch is defined as 2.54 centimeters, you can divide any number of centimeters by 2.54 to find out how many inches it equals.
The Conversion Factor
You can also use a conversion factor to change centimeters into inches. The conversion factor looks like this:
1 centimeter = 0.3937 inches (approximately)
So, for every centimeter, you get roughly 0.3937 inches. To convert from centimeters to inches, you can simply multiply the number of centimeters by 0.3937.
Converting 17.5 cm to Inches
Now, let’s use the formula to convert 17.5 cm to inches:
17.5 cm ÷ 2.54 = 6.88976377953 inches
Or, rounded to two decimal places:
17.5 cm is approximately equal to 6.89 inches
Converting to fractional inches
Sometimes it’s useful to express inches as a fraction. For example, you might say something is “six and a half inches” instead of “six point five inches.” We usually see fractional inches in construction, woodworking, and other DIY projects.
Here’s how to convert a decimal inch to a fractional inch.
- Multiply the decimal part of the number by the level of precision you want. For example, if you want to measure to the nearest sixteenth of an inch, you would multiply by 16.
- Take the result and express it as a fraction.
For example, let’s convert 6.89 inches.
0.89 16 = 14.24. We can round that to 14. So, 6.89 inches is about 6 14/16 inches, or 6 7/8 inches.
How precise you need to be depends on what you’re measuring. Sometimes you need to be accurate to a sixteenth of an inch, and sometimes you need to be even more precise.
Why convert centimeters to inches?
You might need to convert centimeters to inches when shopping for clothes, furniture, or screens. Many countries use the metric system, so dimensions may be listed in centimeters. For example, if you’re buying a TV online, you might see the screen size listed as 100 cm. That’s roughly 39 inches.
Here are some other common conversions:
- 10 cm = 3.94 inches
- 25 cm = 9.84 inches
- 50 cm = 19.69 inches
Accuracy is important to ensure proper fit and compatibility. Luckily, you don’t have to do the math yourself. You can find simple online calculators that will convert centimeters to inches for you.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve covered the formula (inches = centimeters ÷ 2.54) and the conversion factor you need to convert from centimeters to inches. We also showed you how to apply it to convert 17.5 cm to approximately 6.89 inches.
Understanding this conversion is helpful for anyone who regularly works with both metric and imperial units. Whether you use the formula, the conversion factor, or one of the many online tools, you now have what you need to accurately convert centimeters to inches.