Inches to Feet Conversion: Formula, Chart, and Calculator
Convert inches to feet by dividing the inch value by 12. The calculator below runs both ways: type a value in either field and the other updates instantly, including a feet-and-inches reading for height, lumber, or any measurement that doesn’t divide cleanly.
The formula
The conversion is exact. There are 12 inches in 1 foot, so 1 inch equals 1/12 of a foot, or 0.0833… in decimal form. To go from inches to feet, divide. To go from feet back to inches, multiply by 12.
feet = inches ÷ 12
inches = feet × 12
This relationship hasn’t changed since the international yard and pound agreement of 1959, which fixed the inch at exactly 25.4 millimetres and the foot at exactly 12 inches (304.8 mm). Earlier US definitions used a survey foot that was 2 parts per million longer, but that was retired in 2022. For any modern conversion, the 12-inch foot is the only definition you need.
Worked example: convert 70 inches to feet
Take 70 and divide by 12. The result is 5.8333 feet. To express that as feet and inches, the whole-number part is 5 (so 5 feet), and the remainder is 0.8333. Multiply that remainder by 12 to convert it back to inches: 0.8333 × 12 = 10. So 70 inches equals 5 ft 10 in. This is the standard way to read an adult height in the US.
Worked example: convert 8 feet to inches
Multiply 8 by 12. The result is 96 inches. This is the length of a standard sheet of drywall and the height of most US residential ceilings.
Inches to feet conversion chart
Quick reference for inch values from 1 to 240, including common construction and human-height markers. Bookmark this page if you reach for these often.
| Inches (in) | Feet (decimal) | Feet and inches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.0833 | 0 ft 1 in |
| 2 | 0.1667 | 0 ft 2 in |
| 3 | 0.25 | 0 ft 3 in |
| 4 | 0.3333 | 0 ft 4 in |
| 5 | 0.4167 | 0 ft 5 in |
| 6 | 0.5 | 0 ft 6 in |
| 7 | 0.5833 | 0 ft 7 in |
| 8 | 0.6667 | 0 ft 8 in |
| 9 | 0.75 | 0 ft 9 in |
| 10 | 0.8333 | 0 ft 10 in |
| 11 | 0.9167 | 0 ft 11 in |
| 12 | 1 | 1 ft 0 in |
| 13 | 1.0833 | 1 ft 1 in |
| 14 | 1.1667 | 1 ft 2 in |
| 15 | 1.25 | 1 ft 3 in |
| 16 | 1.3333 | 1 ft 4 in |
| 17 | 1.4167 | 1 ft 5 in |
| 18 | 1.5 | 1 ft 6 in |
| 19 | 1.5833 | 1 ft 7 in |
| 20 | 1.6667 | 1 ft 8 in |
| 21 | 1.75 | 1 ft 9 in |
| 22 | 1.8333 | 1 ft 10 in |
| 23 | 1.9167 | 1 ft 11 in |
| 24 | 2 | 2 ft 0 in |
| 30 | 2.5 | 2 ft 6 in |
| 36 | 3 | 3 ft 0 in |
| 42 | 3.5 | 3 ft 6 in |
| 48 | 4 | 4 ft 0 in |
| 54 | 4.5 | 4 ft 6 in |
| 60 | 5 | 5 ft 0 in |
| 66 | 5.5 | 5 ft 6 in |
| 72 | 6 | 6 ft 0 in |
| 78 | 6.5 | 6 ft 6 in |
| 84 | 7 | 7 ft 0 in |
| 96 | 8 | 8 ft 0 in |
| 108 | 9 | 9 ft 0 in |
| 120 | 10 | 10 ft 0 in |
| 144 | 12 | 12 ft 0 in |
| 180 | 15 | 15 ft 0 in |
| 240 | 20 | 20 ft 0 in |
Common heights converted
If you’re reading a passport, medical record, or US driver’s license, you’ll see height in feet and inches. Here’s the conversion for common adult heights, with the centimetre equivalent so you can sanity-check against a metric source.
| Height | Inches | Feet (decimal) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 11 in (149.86 cm) | 59 | 4.9167 |
| 5 ft 0 in (152.4 cm) | 60 | 5 |
| 5 ft 2 in (157.48 cm) | 62 | 5.1667 |
| 5 ft 4 in (162.56 cm) | 64 | 5.3333 |
| 5 ft 6 in (167.64 cm) | 66 | 5.5 |
| 5 ft 7 in (170.18 cm) | 67 | 5.5833 |
| 5 ft 8 in (172.72 cm) | 68 | 5.6667 |
| 5 ft 9 in (175.26 cm) | 69 | 5.75 |
| 5 ft 10 in (177.8 cm) | 70 | 5.8333 |
| 5 ft 11 in (180.34 cm) | 71 | 5.9167 |
| 6 ft 0 in (182.88 cm) | 72 | 6 |
| 6 ft 1 in (185.42 cm) | 73 | 6.0833 |
| 6 ft 2 in (187.96 cm) | 74 | 6.1667 |
| 6 ft 4 in (193.04 cm) | 76 | 6.3333 |
Common use cases
Construction and woodworking
Lumber, plywood, drywall, and tape measures in the US are sold in feet and inches. A standard 2×4 stud is 96 inches (8 feet) long. A sheet of plywood is 48 by 96 inches (4 by 8 feet). A king-size mattress is 80 inches (6 ft 8 in) by 76 inches (6 ft 4 in). Knowing the conversion saves a trip back to the truck.
TVs, monitors, and projectors
Screen sizes are sold by diagonal inches: 32, 43, 55, 65, 75, 85. The corresponding diagonals in feet are 2.67, 3.58, 4.58, 5.42, 6.25, 7.08. A 65-inch TV is roughly 4 feet 6 inches wide on a 16:9 aspect ratio, which matters when you’re measuring whether it’ll fit on a media console.
Human height
US adults typically express height in feet and inches: 5 ft 10 in (70 inches), 6 ft 0 in (72 inches). The same number in centimetres is more common in Europe and Asia (177.8 cm and 182.88 cm). The calculator above gives you the inches reading; multiply by 2.54 to get centimetres if you need a metric value too.
Real estate and floor plans
US floor plans, real estate listings, and zoning rules use feet for room dimensions but switch to inches for door widths, ceiling heights, and trim work. A 36-inch door is 3 feet wide. A 7-foot ceiling is 84 inches. A doorway that’s at least 32 inches (2 ft 8 in) wide is the minimum for accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Inches to feet vs. feet to inches
Both directions use the same factor of 12, just in opposite operations. Going from inches to feet, you divide. Going from feet to inches, you multiply. The calculator at the top of this page handles either direction without you needing to swap fields. The mixed feet-and-inches output makes it easier to read a result like 173 inches as 14 ft 5 in instead of 14.4167 ft, which is rarely how anyone actually says it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Don’t confuse fractional inches with decimal feet. 5’6″ is not 5.6 feet. It’s 5.5 feet (5 + 6/12). The decimal 0.6 ft would be 7.2 inches.
- Don’t round too early. If you’re converting a long lumber cut and rounding 0.8333 ft to 0.83 ft, you’re losing 4 thousandths of a foot, which is about 1/20 of an inch. For framing, fine. For cabinetmaking, not fine.
- Watch the survey foot. Old US Geological Survey maps and some surveying records used the US survey foot, which is 2 parts per million longer than the international foot. For any modern measurement, 12 inches equals one foot exactly. The survey foot was retired in 2022.
- Don’t mix systems mid-project. If your tape measure is in feet and inches and your project plan is in centimetres, convert everything once at the start. Mixing causes off-by-one errors that don’t show up until something doesn’t fit.
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Frequently asked questions
How many feet is 1 inch?
1 inch equals 0.0833 feet (or 1/12 of a foot). The relationship comes from the imperial definition: 1 foot is exactly 12 inches, so any inch value divided by 12 gives the equivalent in feet.
How do you convert inches to feet by hand?
Divide the inch value by 12. For example, 70 inches divided by 12 equals 5.833 feet. To convert to a feet-and-inches reading, take the whole number (5 ft) and the remainder times 12 (0.833 × 12 = 10 in), giving 5 ft 10 in.
What is 60 inches in feet?
60 inches equals exactly 5 feet, because 60 divided by 12 is 5. This is also the height of a 5-foot person, the diagonal of a 60-inch TV (5 feet across), and roughly the height of a kitchen counter plus an upper cabinet.
What is 72 inches in feet?
72 inches equals exactly 6 feet. Common 72-inch references include a standard queen-size bed length, a typical bathroom vanity width, and the diagonal of a 72-inch projector screen, which spans 6 feet from corner to corner.
What is 96 inches in feet?
96 inches equals exactly 8 feet. This is the standard length of a sheet of plywood, drywall, or a softwood 2×4 stud. Most US residential ceilings are also 96 inches (8 feet) high, so this number shows up everywhere in construction.
Are there 12 inches in a foot exactly?
Yes. The foot has been defined as exactly 12 inches since 1959, when the international yard and pound agreement standardised the inch as exactly 25.4 millimetres. Before 1959, the US survey foot used a slightly different value, but it was retired in 2022.
How do I convert feet back to inches?
Multiply the feet value by 12. So 6 feet equals 72 inches, 5.5 feet equals 66 inches, and 0.25 feet equals 3 inches. The calculator above runs both directions automatically when you type a value into either field.
Why do builders and carpenters still use feet and inches in 2026?
The US, UK, and a few smaller markets still use imperial units in construction, woodworking, and real estate. Lumber, plywood, drywall, and tape measures are sold in feet and inches, and most building codes are written in those units. Metric tools exist but aren’t standard.
