Meters to Feet Converter
Meters to feet is one of the highest-volume conversions on the web — the bridge between the metric world's default length unit and the foot used in US construction, real estate, and aviation. Whether you are reading a metric building drawing, an Olympic event distance, or a flight altitude, this is the conversion to know.
Looking for the reverse? Feet to Meters converter →
How to Convert Meters to Feet
To convert meters to feet, multiply the number of meters by 3.28084.
Worked Examples
- 1 meter = 1 × 3.281 = 3.28084 ft
- 5 meters = 5 × 3.281 = 16.404199 ft
- 12 meters = 12 × 3.281 = 39.370079 ft
- 36 meters = 36 × 3.281 = 118.110236 ft
Why Convert Meters to Feet?
- Translating ceiling heights, room dimensions, and total building heights from metric drawings into feet for US contractors
- Reading aviation altitudes (typically published in feet) when source data comes in meters
- Converting athletic event distances (e.g., 100-meter dash, 50-meter pool) into the feet equivalents used in US-centric coverage
- Translating metric architectural and engineering plans into feet for a US site team
Meters to Feet Conversion Table
| Meters (m) | Feet (ft) |
|---|---|
| 0.01 m | 0.032808 ft |
| 0.1 m | 0.328084 ft |
| 0.25 m | 0.82021 ft |
| 0.5 m | 1.64042 ft |
| 0.75 m | 2.46063 ft |
| 1 m | 3.28084 ft |
| 1.5 m | 4.92126 ft |
| 2 m | 6.56168 ft |
| 2.5 m | 8.2021 ft |
| 3 m | 9.84252 ft |
| 4 m | 13.12336 ft |
| 5 m | 16.404199 ft |
| 6 m | 19.685039 ft |
| 7 m | 22.965879 ft |
| 8 m | 26.246719 ft |
| 9 m | 29.527559 ft |
| 10 m | 32.808399 ft |
| 11 m | 36.089239 ft |
| 12 m | 39.370079 ft |
| 13 m | 42.650919 ft |
| 14 m | 45.931759 ft |
| 15 m | 49.212598 ft |
| 16 m | 52.493438 ft |
| 17 m | 55.774278 ft |
| 18 m | 59.055118 ft |
| 19 m | 62.335958 ft |
| 20 m | 65.616798 ft |
| 24 m | 78.740157 ft |
| 30 m | 98.425197 ft |
| 36 m | 118.110236 ft |
| 48 m | 157.480315 ft |
| 60 m | 196.850394 ft |
| 72 m | 236.220472 ft |
| 84 m | 275.590551 ft |
| 96 m | 314.96063 ft |
| 100 m | 328.08399 ft |
| 120 m | 393.700787 ft |
| 144 m | 472.440945 ft |
| 200 m | 656.167979 ft |
| 300 m | 984.251969 ft |
| 500 m | 1640.419948 ft |
| 1000 m | 3280.839895 ft |
Quick Reference: Meters to Feet
The most-searched conversion values for this pair, summarised for quick lookup:
| Meter | Feet |
|---|---|
| 1 m | 3.28084 ft |
| 2 m | 6.56168 ft |
| 5 m | 16.404199 ft |
| 10 m | 32.808399 ft |
| 25 m | 82.020997 ft |
| 50 m | 164.041995 ft |
| 100 m | 328.08399 ft |
What Is a Meter?
The meter is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), defined as the distance light travels in vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
First defined in 1793 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator, the meter was later redefined via a physical platinum-iridium bar kept near Paris. In 1983 the General Conference on Weights and Measures adopted the current definition based on the speed of light, making the meter independent of any physical artefact and reproducible anywhere with a stable laser.
In everyday use: Meters are the standard for room and building dimensions in metric countries, track-and-field events (100-meter sprint, 1500-meter race), swimming pools (50-meter Olympic pool), and most architectural drawings worldwide. Almost all scientific literature reports lengths in meters or its multiples.
The meter symbol is m.
What Is a Foot?
A foot is a unit of length equal to exactly 0.3048 meters (12 inches), defined in 1959 by international agreement.
The foot is one of the oldest units still in everyday use, with roots in ancient Greek, Roman, and medieval European measurement systems — each using a foot of slightly different length. The modern international foot was fixed at 0.3048 meters in 1959, while the US Survey foot persisted for geodetic work until being phased out at the end of 2022.
In everyday use: Feet are widely used to express human height, room dimensions, and ceiling heights in the United States and United Kingdom. The unit is standard in aviation for altitude (flight level 350 = 35,000 feet) and remains common in real estate listings, construction drawings, and outdoor distance estimates.
The foot symbol is ft.
Precision and Accuracy
1 meter = 3.28084 feet (rounded to five decimals). The underlying factor (1/0.3048) is exact; only the displayed digits introduce rounding.
For most everyday purposes — recipes, room sizing, shopping — four decimal places of precision are more than enough. Engineering and scientific work may require additional digits or scientific notation for very small or very large results.
Common Meters to Feet Conversions
References
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) — SI Units: Length
- International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) — The International System of Units (SI)