# Imperial to Metric Conversion

Created by Davide Borchia
Reviewed by Steven Wooding
Last updated: Dec 30, 2022

Our imperial-to-metric conversion tool will be helpful when it's time to abandon the regularity of the metric system 😉. Keep reading our article to learn:

• How to convert from imperial to metric.
• Examples of conversion from imperial to metric: height, weight, temperature...
• How to use our imperial to metric converter.

...and much more! You will return to this comprehensive collection of conversions on a single page every time you need meters from inches and everything else!

## What is the imperial system of measurement units?

The imperial system is a collection of measurement units used mainly in the United States (and with less regularity in the United Kingdom). This system comprises many units with a rather "traditional history". The foot and inch come from ancient measurement systems based on the length of body parts — usually of kings; similarly, gallons and pints originate from standardized vessels.

Usually, the relationship between imperial units lacks regularity: one foot is twelve inches, and three feet make a yard.

## Common conversions from imperial to metric

Converting from imperial to metric is not an easy task. In general, it's hard to think in a measurement system different than the one you grew up with. This is why our imperial-to-metric converter can be extremely helpful!

#### Imperial to metric conversion of length, area, and volume

Length, area, and volume all come from the same group of units: the only difference is the power: the area is a squared length, and the volume is a length to the cube. You can use the same set of conversions but different exponents!

The basic unit of length in the imperial system is the foot. In the metric system, we use the meter. The conversion between these quantities is:

$1\ \mathrm{ft} = 0.3048\ \mathrm{m}$

To convert from foot to centimeter, millimeter, or any other metric unit simply requires the adequate number of divisions (or multiplications) by $10$.

To convert an imperial height to metric, you also need to learn how to convert from inches to centimeters:

$1\ \mathrm{in} =2.54\ \mathrm{cm}$

Notice how $30.54/12=2.54$: hidden in these two formulas, we find the conversion between feet and inches!

#### Common conversion from imperial to metric temperatures

Everyone knows two temperature scales Celsius and Fahrenheit. To convert from the latter to the former, use the following formula:

$T_\mathrm{\degree C} = \frac{5}{9}\left(T_\mathrm{\degree F}-32\right)$

Notice that additional constant: you can't simply substitute $1$ and find the correspondence between one degree Fahrenheit and a degree Celsius: you have to consider a degree interval!

You can also use our tool to convert a temperature into more unusual units: kelvin, Newton, and Rankine.

#### Weight conversion from imperial to metric

The last helpful conversion from imperial to metric is the conversion of weight. In this case, learning how to convert pounds into kilograms will suffice!

$\small 1\ \mathrm{lb} = 0.4536\ \mathrm{kg} = 453.6\ \mathrm{g}$

You can convert easily to any other metric measurement unit with the usual division or multiplication by $10$. To convert from other imperial weight units, remember the following conversions:

$\small 1\ \mathrm{US\ ton} = 2,\!000\ \mathrm{lb} = 32,\!000\ \mathrm{oz}$

## Example of conversions from metric to imperial: imperial tons to metric tons

We can try to convert a quantity from imperial ton to metric ton: let's say the weight of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier: $101,\!600\ \mathrm{US\ ton}$. First step, pass from US ton to pounds:

$\small 101,\!600\ \mathrm{US\ ton} =203,\!200,\!000\ \mathrm{lb}$

Now find the value in kilograms:

$\small 203,\!200,\!000\ \mathrm{lb} =92,\!169,\!970\ \mathrm{kg}$

And divide by $1000$ to find the weight in tons:

$\small 92,\!169,\!970\ \mathrm{kg} = 92,\!169.970\ \mathrm{t}$

## Other conversions between measurement systems

Conversion is not an easy matter, and we at Omni know this! That's why we offer you a complete set of conversion tools you can use whenever you need them. Apart from this imperial to metric converter, you can try the following:

## FAQ

### How do I convert imperial to metric length?

To convert length from metric to imperial, follow these easy steps:

1. Convert your imperial length to feet. You can use these common conversions:
• 1 in = 0.0833 ft;
• 1 yd = 3 ft; and
• 1 mi = 5,280 ft.
2. Convert the length into meters:
1 ft = 0.3048 m
3. To convert to the desired metric unit, divide/multiply by the proper multiple of 10.

### What is the conversion between pounds and kilograms?

To convert between pounds and kilograms, use the following formula:

1 lb = 0.4536 kg

You can also approximate this result by multiplying the weight in pounds by 10 and dividing by 25. This will give you a relatively good result that you can use, for example, in the kitchen.

### How do I convert a degree Fahrenheit into Celsius?

To find how many degrees Celsius correspond to a degree Fahrenheit, convert two contiguous temperature values in the latter scale to Celsius, then compute their difference:

1. Find how many degrees celsius is, for example, 50 °F:

50 °F ≡ (5/9)(50 °F - 32) ≡ 10 °C.

2. Next, find the same conversion for 49 °F:

49 °F ≡ (5/9)(49 °F - 32) ≡ 9.44 °C.

3. Now subtract the two results:

10 °C - 9.44 °C = 0.56 °C.

This is the result: 1 °F = 0.56 °C.

### How much is 10 ft³ in cubic meters?

1 cu ft = 0.28317 m³. To find this result, follow these steps:

1. Find the conversion between the cubic foot and cubic meter: calculate the third power of the conversion factor between foot and meter:

1 ft = 0.3048 m then 1 cu ft = 0.028317 m³

2. Multiply the value by the conversion factor:

10 cu ft = 10 × 0.0283 = 0.28317 m³

That's it!

Davide Borchia
Type of conversion
Temperature
Metric
°C
K
Imperial/US
°F
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