1 foot equals exactly 0.3048 meters. This is an exact international definition — 1 foot = 12 inches, and 1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly, so 1 foot = 12 × 2.54 = 30.48 cm = 0.3048 m. There is no rounding in the definition.
The formula
m = feet × 0.3048
To convert meters back to feet, divide by 0.3048 (or multiply by approximately 3.28084):
feet = m ÷ 0.3048
Practical examples
Example 1 — Room dimensions for a rental listing
A US apartment listing says the living room is 18 ft × 14 ft. A European tenant wants the dimensions in meters.
- 18 × 0.3048 = 5.49 m
- 14 × 0.3048 = 4.27 m
Example 2 — Ceiling height
A house listing describes 9-foot ceilings. The metric equivalent is:
9 × 0.3048 = 2.74 m
Example 3 — Hiking trail length
A trail listed as 4,800 feet in elevation gain is approximately:
4,800 × 0.3048 = 1,463 m (about 1.46 km)
Quick reference: feet to meters
| Feet | Meters |
|---|---|
| 1 ft | 0.305 m |
| 2 ft | 0.610 m |
| 3 ft (1 yd) | 0.914 m |
| 4 ft | 1.219 m |
| 5 ft | 1.524 m |
| 6 ft | 1.829 m |
| 8 ft | 2.438 m |
| 9 ft | 2.743 m |
| 10 ft | 3.048 m |
| 12 ft | 3.658 m |
| 15 ft | 4.572 m |
| 20 ft | 6.096 m |
Feet vs. meters in common contexts
Real estate: US property listings use feet for room dimensions and square footage. European listings use meters and square meters (m²). A 10 ft × 12 ft room (120 sq ft) is approximately 3.05 m × 3.66 m (11.1 m²).
Height: In the US, height is expressed in feet and inches (e.g., 5 ft 11 in = 5.917 ft = 1.803 m). If you need to convert height, convert the total inches first: multiply feet by 12, add remaining inches, then multiply by 0.0254.
Construction: US building codes and blueprints use feet and inches; international standards use meters. Converting between them accurately matters when ordering materials or comparing specifications.