Most of the world uses the International System of Units (SI,) a convenient measurement system based on multiples of ten, originally derived from the metric system. Only three countries--the United States, Liberia and Myanmar (Burma)--do not officially employ these units. Before converting measurements, you must first know the conversion factor between the two units. For example, the universal measurement for a person's height is centimeters, but the U.S. uses feet and inches instead. To convert feet to centimeters, use the conversion factor of 30.48 centimeters per foot.
Instructions
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1
Determine if the value to be converted includes feet and inches. If the value is only feet, skip the next step. However, if the measurement is 5 feet 6 inches, convert the inches before continuing.
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2
Divide the number of inches by 12 inches per foot. In the example from the previous step, 6 inches divided by 12 would equal 0.5 foot.
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3
Multiply the number of feet by 30.48 centimeters per foot. Use a calculator to do the math.
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4
Re-calculate the conversion to double-check the number.