Inches to Feet Conversion

Divide by 12: the whole number is feet and the remainder is inches. 66 inches is 5' 6" (5.5 ft); 100 inches is 8' 4" (8.333 ft).

The method

There are 12 inches in a foot. To convert inches to feet and inches, divide by 12. The whole-number part is feet, and whatever is left over (the remainder) is inches. 100 ÷ 12 = 8 remainder 4, so 100 in = 8' 4". Fractions just come along with the inches: 100 ¾ in = 8' 4 ¾".

For decimal feet, do the division fully: 100 ÷ 12 = 8.333 ft. To go the other way, multiply feet by 12 and add the inches: 8' 4" = 96 + 4 = 100 in.

Common conversions

Heights and everyday sizes

Heights are a common use: 64 in is 5' 4", 70 in is 5' 10", and 72 in is exactly 6'. In building, 96 in (8') is a standard ceiling height and the length of a common sheet of plywood or drywall. 48 in (4') is the standard sheet width, and studs are often spaced 16 in on centre, which is 1' 4".

Metric

An inch is exactly 2.54 cm, so a foot is 30.48 cm and 100 in is 254 cm (2.54 m). That's handy when product sizes are listed in metric.

Tips for accuracy

• Keep fractions until the end. Rounding each piece before adding builds up error.
• When adding several lengths, add the inches first, then carry every 12 in into a foot.
• The feet-inch calculator does all of this and rounds to 1/16".

Worked example: a shelf run

Three shelves of 31 ½ in, 31 ½ in and 37 ¼ in add up to 100 ¼ in. 100 ÷ 12 = 8 remainder 4, so the total is 8' 4 ¼", or 8.354 ft. If you're cutting them from 8 ft boards, one 96 in board isn't enough for all three. That's the kind of check that's easier in feet-inches than in a pile of inches.

Related

• Feet-inch to decimal chart
• Feet-inch calculator
• Square footage of a room

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