Meters to Feet: Conversion Formula and Real-World Examples
Most of the world quotes heights, room sizes, and ceiling clearances in meters; the US and a few other countries use feet. Switching between the two is one constant-factor multiplication away.
The Formula
One meter equals exactly 3.28084 feet. Going the other way, one foot equals exactly 0.3048 meters.
feet = meters × 3.28084 · meters = feet × 0.3048.
Common Conversions
A typical adult height of 1.75 m equals 5.74 feet, or 5 ft 8.9 in. An 8-foot ceiling is 2.44 m. A 100-meter sprint is 328 feet — slightly longer than an American football field's 100 yards (300 ft).
Aviation altitudes are quoted in feet worldwide: a typical cruise altitude of 35,000 ft equals 10,668 m.
Mental Shortcut
Multiply meters by 3 and add 10% for a close estimate. 5 m × 3 = 15, + 10% = 16.5 ft. Actual: 16.4 ft.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is a meter related to the speed of light?
Yes — since 1983 the meter has been defined as the distance light travels in vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
What's a 'survey foot'?
A slightly different definition (1200/3937 m) used in US land surveying. The difference is negligible at human scales.